Charlotte Guest

Lady Charlotte Guest translated the Mabinogion, a collection of medieval tales dealing with Celtic myths and legends, from Welsh into English in 1849. She took an interest in the local ironworks in South Wales, where she lived after her marriage to John Guest, as well as the modernization of schools and the promotion of adult education. Following the death of her husband in 1852, she took charge of the Dowlais Iron Works, a vast industrial enterprise supplying rails to railroads around the world. With her second husband, Charles Schreiber, she became a passionate collector of ceramics, fans, and playing cards. The Schreiber Collection is currently housed at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.