Elizabeth Rhŷs

Elspeth Hughes-Davies, Lady Rhŷs (26 May 1841 – 29 April 1911), known also as Elspeth Rhŷs, was a Welsh teacher, linguist, and campaigner for women's suffrage and education.

Education and career Hughes-Davies began her career as a pupil-teacher in North Wales, later progressing to the Borough Road Teacher Training College for Women in London. Afterwards, by 1861, she had been appointed headmistress of the British Girls' School in Amlwch, Anglesey, and was later appointed head of the British School in Broughton, Flintshire (the date this occurred is not known). where she met the French poet Charles de Gaulle. She gave him Welsh lessons in exchange for French lessons.

From Vienna, Hughes-Davies wrote a letter to Y Goleuad, a Welsh-language Calvinistic Methodist weekly paper supportive of liberal politics. In the letter, published on 8 October 1870, she discussed her views on the Franco-Prussian war. This received praise from the paper's editor, John Davies.

In 1882, Hughes-Davies (known by then as Mrs Rhys) presided over a discussion on women's education at the National Eisteddfod of Wales in Bala, Gwynedd.

Hughes-Davies was a member of the Manchester National Society for Women's Suffrage. They shared an interest in languages and Rhŷs' first gift to Elspeth was said to be a French-German dictionary.

In 1895, when he became Principal of Jesus College, the family moved into the Principal's Lodgings at the college, where Hughes-Davies lived until her death in 1911.

She was buried in Holywell Cemetery, Oxford, where her husband, John, was later buried with her on 23 December 1915 after his death on 17 December.

The Welsh-language publication ' Y Gymraes''' (English: The Welshwoman'') published an obituary for Hughes-Davies in August 1911, written by Professor John Young Evans, and a picture of her was reproduced on the edition's front page.