Pamela Shepherd born Pamela Morgan known as Mother Shepherd (19 March 1836 – 24 February 1930) was a

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, of or about Wales * Welsh language, spoken in Wales * Welsh people, an ethnic group native to Wales Places * Welsh, Arkansas, U.S. * Welsh, Louisiana, U.S. * Welsh, Ohio, U.S. * Welsh Basin, during t ...

evangelist for the

Salvation Army The Salvation Army (TSA) is a Protestantism, Protestant Christian church and an international charitable organisation headquartered in London, England. It is aligned with the Wesleyan-Holiness movement. The organisation reports a worldwide m ...

notably in

Aberdare Aberdare ( ; ) is a town in the Cynon Valley area of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, at the confluence of the Rivers Dare (Dâr) and River Cynon, Cynon. Aberdare has a population of 39,550 (mid-2017 estimate). Aberdare is south-west of Merthyr Tydf ...

Life

Shepherd was born in

Talywain Talywain () is situated in Garndiffaith, Abersychan and Pentwyn in Torfaen in south east Wales, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire. Old mining area It is a semi rural area that has a long heritage in coal mining. The old British Co ...

in 1836. Her parents were Margaret (born Evans) and Benjamin Morgan and she was the first of their four children. Her father was a blacksmith and a Chartist and her mother was a Baptist from Cardiganshire, moved the family to London in 1845. Her father hoped to work for the Great Western Railway but struggled to find work due to his political views. The family's finances had to depend on her mother, taking in washing, after her father began drinking. In 1860 she married William Shepherd a carter. The couple remained in London after the rest of her family returned to Wales the following year. Her husband's family helped financially and she worked as a rag sorter and laundress to support her daughters - despite also developing a drinking problem. left, Major James Dowdle of the Sally Army recruited her She was recruited by the Salvation Army in 1867 after she heard

James Dowdle James John Dowdle (20 December 1840–21 July 1900) was a Commissioner (The Salvation Army), Commissioner in the Salvation Army known as the "Fiery Fiddler" and the "Saved Railway Guard". He was the first Salvation Army Commissioner to be Prom ...

preach. He was known as "the Saved Railway Guard" and she was soon known as the "Hallelujah Washerwoman" as she witnessed and preached around London. In 1868 she was assisted at the home of

William William is a masculine given name of Germanic languages, Germanic origin. It became popular in England after the Norman Conquest, Norman conquest in 1066,All Things William"Meaning & Origin of the Name"/ref> and remained so throughout the Middle ...

and

Catherine Booth Catherine Booth (''née'' Mumford, 17 January 1829 – 4 October 1890) was co-founder of The Salvation Army, along with her husband William Booth. Because of her influence in the formation of The Salvation Army she was known as the 'Moth ...

, and the following year she work at the "Limehouse centre" an old music-hall converted by the mission. By this time, she was no longer known as the "Hallelujah Washerwoman" but as "Mother Shepherd". In 1878, "Mother Shepherd" was sent to

by the

at the start of a period of growth for their mission. Being a native Welsh speaker, she effectively preached on street corners on Fridays and Saturdays, addressing an audience primarily consisting of ironworkers and miners visiting local taverns. Over five years, she established seven new stations before being recalled to London. Shepherd later returned to Aberdare to continue her work for the community. Shepherd admitted that although she could read but she had never learned to write. She served as one of the areas probation officers when they were first introduced. Additionally, she provided rooms in her home for homeless girls.

Death and legacy

Shepherd died in

in 1930. She was given a public funeral with the local police acting as pall-bearers and leading ministers conducting the funeral service. Her contributions are commemorated in the local

Cynon Valley Cynon Valley () is a former coal mining valley in Wales. It lies between Rhondda and the Merthyr Valley and takes its name from the River Cynon. Aberdare is located in the north of the valley and Mountain Ash in the south. From 1974 to 19 ...

museum.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shepherd, Pamela 1836 births 1930 deaths Welsh-speaking clergy Probation and parole officers People from Monmouthshire