Visual Communication Jemima Nicholas and the Last Invasion of Britain

Jemima Nicholas ("Jemima Fawr" or Jemima the Great) and the Last Invasion of Britain

In 1797 the French army was planning to invade Ireland and set it free from British rule. As a diversion, the French intended to attack the City of Bristol, then go on to attack London. The French mistakenly expected the Welsh to rise up and fight the English. However, because of a gale, the boats were blown off course and 1,500 French troops landed instead at Carreg Wastad, near Fishguard, on the west coast of Wales. This proved to be the last invasion of Britain.

When the French troops landed, they set about stealing everything they could lay their hands on as well as getting drunk. This is when Jemima Nicholas, the Fishguard shoemaker entered the story. Her heroic acts that day became legend and she is now known as "Jemima Fawr" (Jemima the Great).

In February 1797, Jemima Nicholas saw about a dozen starving and drunk French soldiers wandering around the fields of Fishguard, and after seeing them chasing her sheep and chickens, she took action. Undaunted she advanced towards the French soldiers, picked up a pitchfork and pointed it at them. She then single-handedly rounded up the French soldiers who immediately threw down their weapons. Jemima marched them down to the local jail. Because of her actions that day, Jemima Nicholas became a Welsh heroine.

By the end of the century the story had been considerably exaggerated with Jemima said to be the leader of a regiment of women, dressed in their Welsh dress, with big black hats, red shawls, and black skirts, and armed with pitchforks, axes, hoes, and other farm tools. This was done to deceive the French as to the numbers of the British troops opposing them. Despite the lack of evidence for this story, Jemima Nicholas' heroic acts that day entitle her to be remembered as "a heroic single woman" in the words of a local historian.

A memorial stone dedicated to Jemima was erected in 1897 as part of the centenary celebrations. It stands near the entrance of Saint Mary's churchyard facing Main Street.

"In Memory of Jemima Nicholas of this Town who boldly marched to meet the French Invaders who landed on our shores in February, 1797. She died in Main Street July 1832. Aged 82 years. At the date of the Invasion she was 47 years old, and lived 35 years after the event. Erected by subscription collected at the Centenary Banquet July 6, 1897."