Letter from Celia Duffin to Maria Duffin, 8 January 1916 Letters 1916-1923 Celia Duffin

This work was originally published by Maynooth University in Ireland in 2017. In 2026 this data, stored in a relational database was extracted and converted into this TEI/XML document.

 Austrian Centre for Digital Humanities Vienna, AT 2026

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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. In this letter Celia writes a chatty letter to her mother. She writes about her of her nursing duties in London General Hospital, her uniform, meeting with people from Antrim and family members.

 Public Record Office of Northern Ireland Duffin Collection D2109/10/1/A/14 https://letters1916.ie/item/2638 English Celia Duffin 1916-01-08 3rd London General Hospital, London England Maria Duffin Female Personal Relations World War I (1914-1918) Personal Relations

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 3rdLondon General Hospital. Friday. Jan 8th Dearest Mamma I wonder how everybody at home is, I hope the Christmas chills are all over. I just got a wire from Terry as I came on duty to night saying that he had arrived and asking me to lunch with him. It had been sent off in the morning but as I was a in bed in my billets all day, I never got it till too late to get at him in any way, but perhaps I may be able to see him on his way back if I hear in time. Unfortunately had just had my night off the day before. I went to St. Sidwell's and had a nice visit there. The two elder sisters were there for Christmas with their husbands, two greek brothers called Constandouros who were not very attractive. One of them had two dear little boys, very good looking, and the other a young baby, still in arms, with a great thatch of brown hair. A young doctor came to see baby while I was there and I discovered afterwards he was Peggy Beagley's husband and that the Tellings had been at the Beagley wedding and had met Hilda Finlay. Winnie was in town when I arrived, and had booked seats for a matinee at the Haymarket. After lunch, I motored up with Mrs Constandouros, met Winnie, and saw Henry Ainlee in "Who is the?"The plot is based on Mrs Bellue Loundes grue- some "Lodger", if you remember it, but is really quite different as the play is a comedy and really most amusing in parts.The lodging house keeper was simply perfect, and Henry Ainlee most amusing as the lodger. Marjorie wouldn't come as she had broken her arm out riding and was afraid of getting it knocked as she can't use it at all yet. We called at a war work depot where Mrs Tilling was working and I found Peggy Beazley (as was) there, who was most surprised to see me. I imagine the Tillings must have made their money pretty lately, everything in the house is so modern and new. The big hall is very pretty with a huge fireplace and comfortable sofas and chairs all round. Emma's parcel for me arrived safely to-day, what a quaint Eastern little bell, it is really very pretty. I have just been looking at French's despatch, it is desperate reading, What an utter waste the whole thing seems to have been. The men seem to have been extraordinarily brave. Most of the ones in this ward seem to have come from Anzac, very often after they arrive here, they keep starting up and calling out in there sleep. There is a chance I may get on day duty again next saturday, if not I shall have another fortnight to do. I went to St. John's Gate the other morning to get my shoulder tilles, such a quaint old place in in a most unrespected part, with old towers and winding stone stairs. I wandered about and peeped into a good many of the rooms. It is built over both sides of the street with an old connecting archway. I didn't see Mrs Oliver as she hadn't arrived yet, but one of the ladies helping looked up my name. We each have a separate file apparently with an account kept of our doings.I saw Emma's there too. I must order my new caps, they are like large white handkerchiefs tied tightly round the head with the tails hanging down behind. Only the pretty girls look nice in them, as all the hair is covered up, and the ones with ugly features look very plain. Please thank the others for all their nice letters. Lots of love to you from Celia I wore my new blouse at the Tillings, it fits beautifully and looked awfully nice. 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 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 3rd London General Hospital, London England Letter from Celia Duffin to Maria Duffin, 8 January 1916