Letter from Emma Duffin to Celia Duffin, 15 January 1916 Letters 1916-1923 Emma Duffin

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Letter from Emma Duffin (1883 - 1979) to Celia Duffin (1888-1979). The letter concerns Emma's hospital experiences, including some minor illnesses she suffered. It seems she and Miss Watson were photographed. She mentions Sam, Charlie, Aunt Margaret, Terry, some of her patients and the local populace. Celia Duffin, born in 1888, was one of Adam and Maria Duffin's nine children. She attended the Cheltenham Ladies College. She served in the Voluntary Aid Detachment (V.A.D.) during the First World War. Celia Duffin along with her sister Ruth published a book of poems titled ""Escape Poem" (illustrated by their sister Emma Duffin) and published by Maunsell & Co. Ltd in 1929.Emma served in the Voluntary Aid Detachment (V.A.D.) during the First World War. She served initially in Egypt and was transferred to northern France just before the Battle of Somme, where she remained to the Armistice in 1918. On her return to Belfast, Emma worked as an illustrator of cards and books, including children’s stories written by her sister Ruth.

 Public Record Office of Northern Ireland Duffin Papers D2109/10/1/A/4 https://letters1916.ie/item/2627 English Emma Duffin 1916-01-15 15th Gen Hospital Alex. Celia Duffin Female Personal Relations Personal Relations

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 15th Gen. Hosp. Alexandria Jan. 15/16. My dear old Celia It is rather an age since I wrote to you I'm afraidI pity you on night duty. I'm afraid I'm due to go on againsoon & I do so hate it. In the meantime I am still in mytent and they are opening up more tents againhas them senta sister she seems a dull but decent old girl, & funnily enoughhad a V.C.D. in Manchester called Duffin who came from Dublin.I am off in the morning today which is rather unusual forme rather nice for a change but I should not like it often.I have been out taking photographs I hope they'll be asuccess. I took an awfully fond lot as the duchy whenI was seeing Celine Russell off but unfortunately theroll stuck in my camera & the light got in when I was tryingto get them out. I was in the sick room for fivedays with a Gyppy Tummy not very bad & I rather enjoyedsnuggling down in bed when the others were going on duty sincethat I had an awful swelled face which made me feelmuch in there really, though I was on duty, but now I amquite all right again. We had a week of awful weather,storms & tropical rain which flooded everything, came intothe corner of my room & ran down the wall. I likethe letter which you sent me very much, didn't you get starved. 2 The club was swarming with officers and there was a bandplaying, quite a gay scene! The other day I had my 3 hoursoff in the morning & I and another V.A.D, Miss Watson went downto the docks to take photographs, it is a fascinating part, andwe went all through the corn markets buy through part of thenative quarters. I hope the photos will turn out well for theyshould be rather good. I am pleased that Sam hasgot a post at home, & that Charlie is mentioned in dispatches.Marjorie has only written to me twice & Aunt Margaret never, noteven for Xmas. They are funny people! I supposeTerry will have been home on leave by the time you get this.How you will enjoy having him! Can't Celia get someleave before signing on again, I think she should!Tell Molly I may get her some stones, but the people are suchcheats here I must wait till I get hold of some one who knowssome thing about them. I had such a nicepatient last week, quite a gentleman in the .Company, I used to think he must hate eating off enamelplates & drinking out of bowls etc. with the others but he hadnot a bit of swank about him. He has some & I had a letter from him yesterday. They nearly all write& often come back to see me if they are in camps here, it isa miracle to me how grateful they are for every little thingyou do for them. I had an embarrassing Australianwho has now gone I am rather glad to say, he used to call me sometimes for the want of a little leisure and a nice book. Some one sent out a dear little collection of poetry, all old favourites with some books for the Tommies & I have kept it as they would never read them, and it was a perfect joy to see some of them again. I wish you would get abroad somewhere, it would be so much more interesting but if you came out here you would be here for all the hot weather. Have you signed in for another six months. My time will not be up till April. Poor Dessie's affair sounds to me rather a fiasco. It is a pity! I don't like the sound of him at all. I have nothing to tell you for I have been having a very quiet life lately. If I could only show you the people, it is a perpetual ammusement to watch them. You see a woman swinging along with an enormous bundle on her head and a child perched on her shoulder, sitting up as straight as a reed though it only looks about a year old, or a man in a lovely blue robe riding on a white donkey with big milk cans in panniers at each side, or a very old man bent double with a big water skin on his back, there is a picture at every corner, but descriptions are dull I think, & nothing in the way of photographs is much good for you live the colour. Best love my dear Write again when you can Ever yours Emma. Emma Duffin Letter from Emma Duffin to her sister Celia Duffin, 29 December 1915Letter from Emma Duffin to Maria Duffin, 5 February 1916Letter from Emma Duffin to Maria Duffin, 29 December 2015Letter from Emma Duffin to Celia Duffin, 15 January 1916Letter from Emma Duffin to her aunts, 9 January 1916, Letter from Emma Duffin to her mother, Maria Duffin, 5 March 1916Letter from Emma Duffin to her mother Maria Duffin, 27 March 1916Letter from Emma Duffin to her mother Maria Duffin, 22 November 1915 Celia Duffin Letter from Emma Duffin to her sister Celia Duffin, 29 December 1915Letter from Celia Duffin to Maria Duffin, 24 January 1916Letter from Celia Duffin to Maria Duffin, February 1916Letter from Helen Duffin to Celia Duffin, 22 December 1915Letter from Celia Duffin to Maria Duffin, 15 March 1916Letter from Helen Duffin to Celia Duffin, 16 March 1916Letter from Celia Duffin to Ruth Duffin, 6 December 1915Letter from Celia Duffin to Auntie D, 3 December 1915Letter from Emma Duffin to Celia Duffin, 15 January 1916Letter from Celia Duffin to Maria Duffin, 8 December 1915Letter from Celia Duffin to Adam Duffin, 9 December 1915letter from Anna Duffin to Celia Duffin, 3 December 1915Letter from Celia Duffin to Maria Duffin, 8 January 1916Letter from Maria Duffin to Celia Duffin, 13 February 1916Letter from Maria Duffin to Celia Duffin, 6 February 1916Letter from Maria Duffin to Celia Duffin, 9 January 1916Letter from Maria Duffin to Celia Duffin, 27 February 1916Letter from Celia Duffin to her mother Maria Duffin, 14 February, 1916Letter from Celia Duffin to Maria DuffinLetter from Maria Duffin to Celia Duffin, 19 March 1916Letter from A. Duffin to Celia Duffin, 2 March 1916Letter from Celia Duffin to Maria DuffinLetter from Celia Duffin to Maria Duffin, 10 February 1916Letter from Celia Duffin to Maria Duffin, April 1915Letter from Celia Duffin to her mother, Thursday November,1915Letter from Celia Duffin to Maria Duffin, 3 November 1915.Letter from Celia Duffin to her mother Maria Duffin, November 1915Letter from Celia Duffin to her sister Ruth, 3 November 1915Letter from Celia Duffin to her aunt, 18 November 1915Letter from Celia Duffin to Maria Duffin, 26 November 1915Letter from Celia Duffin to her aunt, 1915 15th Gen Hospital Alex. Letter from Emma Duffin to Celia Duffin, 15 January 1916