Letter from Celia Duffin to her mother Maria Duffin, 14 February, 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. This letter was written by Celia Duffin (b. 1888) to her mother Maria (1854 – 1954). According to Celia’s letter the cold water has interfered with the availability of running water for washing and other such ‘luxuries’. Celia enquires after her sister Emma, (1883 – 1979), who was serving as VAD in Egypt initially and then France (1915 – 1919). Celia writes that she will be giving her name for foreign service soon since she expects a lot of people will be wanted abroad soon and a year at Stockport would seem very dull and monotonous. According to Celia nearly all the cases coming in to the nurses were men with trench feet due to the cold and wet conditions. Before signing off Celia asks her mother about news concerning friends and family and tells her the news that she has heard.

 Public Record Office of Northern Ireland Duffin Papers, D2109/10/1/B/8 https://letters1916.ie/item/2649 English Celia Duffin 1916-02-14 St.Geroge's Hospital, London, England Maria Duffin Dunowen Belfast, Ireland Female Personal Relations Personal Relations

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 D2109/10/1/B St.George's Hospital Feb. 14. Dearest Mamma, I hope the family have recovered and all coughs and chillsare gone. It has been awfully cold here, and last week wewere quite frozen up at our billets, not a drop of water to begot, so no baths or any luxuries of that sort. We arelooked after by Mrs Tirrewell, the matron's sister whom weall dislike. She said she had got enough water for everybodyto have a wash one night, she had collected thedrippings off the roof and when I saw it I thought I preferredgoing to bed dirty. You would have laughed if you hadseen us starting for hospital in the morning, everybodycarrying their hot bottles to fill at St. Georges. Webrought them back full and emptied them for a washin the mornings. The pipes have thawed at last, and Imanaged to get my first bath last night. I haven't heard from Emma for some time, whatnews have you had of her. I am going to give in myname for foreign service as I expect a lot of people willbe wanted abroad soon, and I think a year of Stockportwill be very dull and monotonous. I wonder if there is any skating at home, all the pondsand rivers are frozen here. Nearly all the last casesthat came in were men with trench feet, some of them D2109/10/1/B quite black.; they are talking of putting up marquees in theschool yard here to hold more beds for the spring— I have just finished the Broad Highway, and liked itvery much, especially the 2 part about Charmain, Iexpect you have read it. I suppose Molly will be home at the end of next month. Imay see her on her way back. How far is Pleasley fromhere I wonder, if it is any place near I would askAnnie to put me up my next day off, it would benice to go there for a change. I am glad Emmiegot home safely. I am sure Aunt Fanny must havebeen anxious about her, it is dangerous work travellingthese days. Its awful how many ships have been sunk lately. There is nothing to do here at present, and I am too lazyto go into Manchester, it will be better when the summercomes and we can go some expeditions again. Is Dorothy going back to her old job again. I supposeher leave must be nearly up now. I see Lord Norfolk,Colonel Donnet's friend is dead. I wonder what the old Colonelis doing now and if he is well again. I have no news, everything here is the same as usual. With much loveEver your own Celia. Dunowen Belfast, Ireland Letter from Celia Duffin to Adam Duffin, 9 December 1915Letter from Celia Duffin to her mother Maria Duffin, 14 February, 1916 St.Geroge's Hospital, London, England Letter from Celia Duffin to her mother Maria Duffin, 14 February, 1916 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