Formidable Phyllis
Updated: 11 hours ago
Our Winter series opened with the final talk in ‘The Remarkable Residents of Portland House’ series - focussing on Phyllis Sewell. It also acted as the launch of the accompanying book, ‘The House that Bensha built.’
Portland House moved out of the hands of the family who had built it for the first time in the 1950s.
The new owner, Phyllis Sewell (or Warden Brown), was a remarkable woman indeed and well ahead of her times. Born in Hull in 1895, her university studies were interrupted by the outbreak of World War 1. During that time, she worked on the front as a VAD, (a member of the Voluntary Aid Detachment), and then became an administrator for Queen Mary’s Army Auxiliary Corps.
She was awarded an MBE in 1919 for her services in France. She had dealt with soldiers with horrendous injuries in incredibly difficult circumstances.
After that she had a prestigious career in Hong Kong as a teacher and later an administrator in Canada, before coming to Aberaeron where she bought up property for rent. Phyllis put Portland House into multiple occupancy, living in one floor herself.
Eccentric in her older age perhaps, she was known for walking about town in a fur coat over her nightie, with sandals on her feet stuffed with bloodied tissue between her toes. There are many tales about her time here in Aberaeron where she is remembered equally with fear and trepidation.
You can read more about her, the mysteries in her life, and the other residents of Portland House in ‘The House that Bensha built’ available locally in Gwisgo Bookworm or via Amazon.
All profits from the book sales will go to Cymdeithas.
Comments