Letter from Olive Duffin to her mother, Maria Duffin, January 1916 Letters 1916-1923 Olive Duffin

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 Austrian Centre for Digital Humanities Vienna, AT 2026

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Letter from Olive Duffin to her mother Maria. Olive writes that her mother would be surprised to her using a Remington typewriter. Olive had received a letter from her sister Emma (1883 - 1979) in which Emma writes that '[she] will never regret coming out here...' 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. Olive writes various tidbits of news and informs her mother of the dismal weather where she is stationed. This letter is part of a rich correspondence between various members of the Duffin family, a large prosperous family living in Strandtown, Belfast. Several family members served in the war, including Major Terence Duffin, who served as a staff officer with 107 Brigade, and later with Royal Irish Rifles; Major Charles G Duffin MC, Royal Field Artillery; and their sisters Emma, Celia and Dorothy who served as Voluntary Aid Detachments (VADS) in Egypt and France, and with the YMCA.

 Public Record Office of Northern Ireland Duffin Collection D2109/10/1/A/13 https://letters1916.ie/item/2632 English Olive Duffin 1916-01 Maria Duffin Female Personal Relations Personal Relations

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 D2109/10/1/A Jan Dearest Mamma, you willbe surprised to see me using a typewriterMiss Hollins had hired one by the month -a thing I did not knowone could do, and has left me a legacy of it, I strongly suspecther of having got it for my benefit- any how I am very glad to haveit and mean to practise strenously. It is a Remington and not abad one at all t hough rather old-fashioned. Miss Roberts wants you to keep the socks for the use of theUlster Division. I had a letter from Emma which she says not to pass on as sheis writing to you herself, she evidently did not get some of ourletters, and had fears about your present having been lost. She says, I shall never regret having come out here, partof it is unpleasant, but all of it is Life and the more I see andthe older I grow, the more I think Life with a big L is something andought not to be muddled away in corners, and yet no doubt some ofus must live in corners! I am afraid I am in a corner but it isnot too cramped and quite comfortable! My cold is much better and I was out to-day, I was rather miserablewhen I arrived. Mrs Hollins latest idea is to send Emmie here to Miss Randall'sschool, she will live here of courseand Miss Roberts is greatlypleased at the prospect, another cousin, a Miss Dalbiac is to comealso, but she will board out. It seems a very sudden idea and as D2109/10/1/A she knows nothing at all about it except what Miss Roberts spokeo e my having told her, I am rather surprised after all the talkabout keeping Emmie so exclusive! Those sort of people arenever consistent. Saturday. Dorothy's letter and the nougat from Emma has just arrived—what lovely stuff! Miss Roberts is as lively as ever and expecting two more elderlyladies to stay, as well as Mrs Hollins and Emmie coming onMonday, so she has plenty of amusement in store, and variety whichis the breath of life to her. The minute she is unoccupied shebegins to fuss the whole household with little messages and fusses(which must be done at once) just by way of giving herself occupation. My cold is nearly gone but it took a good deal out of me, coughingat night, so I am taking things easy. I hear Col. Donnet is better. I've not seen them yet. There is driving rain and no sun here this morning but it isextraordinarily warm. I t must be very dull for poor Ruth, I do hope there will be nomore cases. I'm glad the new cook promises well. I am most anxious tohear about the disposal of Mrs Hincks' things.Much love to all. Wife of the Rev. Thomas Hincks, uncleof Mamma. Ever your loving Olive Olive Duffin Letter from Olive Duffin to Ruth Duffin, 31 March 1916Letter from Olive Duffin to her mother, Maria Duffin, January 1916Letter from Olive Duffin to Maria Duffin, 28 March 1916Letter from Olive Duffin to her mother, Maria Duffin, November 1915Letter from Olive Duffin to her mother, November 1915Letter from Olive Duffin to her mother Maria Duffin, November 1915Letter from Olive Duffin to her aunt, Ellie, 12 November 1915Letter from Olive Duffin to Maria Duffin, November 1915Letter from Olive Duffin to Maria Duffin, 1 November 1915 Maria Duffin Letter from Celia Duffin to Maria Duffin, 24 January 1916Letter from Celia Duffin to Maria Duffin, February 1916Letter from Emma Duffin to Maria Duffin, 5 February 1916Letter from Terence Duffin to Maria Duffin, March 1916Letter from Celia Duffin to Maria Duffin, 15 March 1916Letter from Dorothy to Maria Duffin, 25 March 1916Letter from Dorothy Duffin to her mother, Maria Duffin, 30 March 1916Letter from Terrence Duffin to his mother, Maria Duffin, 31 December 1915Letter from Emma Duffin to Maria Duffin, 29 December 2015Letter from Celia Duffin to Maria Duffin, 8 December 1915Letter from Celia Duffin to Adam Duffin, 9 December 1915Letter from Olive Duffin to her mother, Maria Duffin, January 1916Letter from Olive Duffin to Maria Duffin, circa 1916Letter from Celia Duffin to Maria Duffin, 8 January 1916Letter from Maria Duffin to Celia Duffin, 13 February 1916Letter from Terence Duffin to Maria Duffin, 29 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 Celia Duffin to Maria DuffinLetter from Emma Duffin to her mother, Maria Duffin, 5 March 1916Letter from Dorothy to Maria Duffin, 22 March 1916Letter from Celia Duffin to Maria Duffin, 10 February 1916Letter from Dorothy Duffin to her mother, Maria Duffin, 31 July 1916Letter from Emma Duffin to her mother Maria Duffin, 27 March 1916Letter from Olive Duffin to Maria Duffin, 28 March 1916Letter from Celia Duffin to Maria Duffin, April 1915Letter from Celia Duffin to her mother, 15 November 1915Letter from Olive Duffin to her mother, Maria Duffin, November 1915Letter from Olive Duffin to her mother, November 1915Letter from Celia Duffin to Maria Duffin, 3 November 1915.From Celia Duffin to Maria Duffin, 9 April 1915Letter from Emma Duffin to her mother Maria Duffin, 22 November 1915Letter from Terence Duffin to his mother Maria Duffin, 26 November 1915Letter from Olive Duffin to her mother Maria Duffin, November 1915Letter from Dorothy Duffin to her mother Maria Duffin, 8 November 1915Letter from Celia Duffin to her mother Maria Duffin, November 1915Letter from Celia Duffin to Maria Duffin, 26 November 1915Letter from Olive Duffin to Maria Duffin, November 1915Letter from Dorothy Duffin to Maria Duffin, 28 November 1915Letter from Olive Duffin to Maria Duffin, 1 November 1915