Letter from Dorothy Duffin to her mother, Maria Duffin, 31 July 1916
it is rather an effort
to write at all. I'm sorry to be address-
ing this to Dunowen
again and that your
holiday is over. Tell
Helen I was glad of
her letter. Is Miss
Stack in London? I got off to Eastbourne
by an afternoon train 2 on Saturday. Half London
seemed to be in it
& we were packed like
herrings so it was blessed
to arrive. I went
to Devonshire Hevn Park with
Olive for tea & there met
A.J. whose hands are
still being dressed.
He goes to Strangford
soon. On Sunday
we went to the
Donnets = who were
having a tennis party. Mildred Taylor is again
established there. I
saw no change in the
Colonel. He was telling
tall stories just the
same. There were some
rather unpleasant women
& two or three pleasant
men. One kind one
gave us a lift home
in his car. Miss
Roberts was most kind
& Olive was very well
& cheerful. It was nice
to get a breath of sea
air. I came back
this morning by a 7.30
train & lunched with
Mrs Tomlinson (Miss
Darbyshire) and her 3 cousin Mrs Cuthbert Johnson
whom I met before at
the Beales. I'm so sorry about
Celia as I cannot think
Stockport would be
nice. Miss Roberts
is writing to some
Hollins people near there
to look her up & I
have written to Sheila
Bligant as I believe they
know Manchester people
& I believe Molly Carson
does also, but none
of you have sent 4 her address. Olive was
asking for it also. I had hoped to hear
from Papa that he
was coming over as
he mentioned this week
as likely. I saw poor Mrs Heymond
in Eastbourne & Mrs
Eastwood was arriving on
Monday but Dickie
was suffering from whoop
ing cough. The two youngest 5 Hollins children were
with Miss Roberts &
were very sweet. It
was nice to see
children again. Wednesday Evening I kept this to hear
from you & am hoping
very much you will
both make the effort
to come over. It will
be delightful to see
you. I believe Annie
has left Epsom. If
you go perhaps Aunt F
would put me up for
a night also. I hope
you won't feel the
heat too much - it
pretty bad here. With love & hoping
to see you soon. Dorothy I return Terry's letter.
I'm glad you like the cushion - it was
Olive who shared in
the bag not me.
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. Dorothy writes about the hot weather and about a train journey to Eastbourne on which 'the whole of London' appeared to be travelling. She write about a party she attended there and a conversation she had with the Colonel who was telling tall stories. She is sorry for Celia who apparently has been transferred to Stockport. She gives news of other people and she hopes her mother can make the trip to England.
How to cite
Letters 1916, published by the Austrian Centre for Digital Humanities, Vienna, 2026 (https://letters1916static.github.io/letters1916-static/item__2700.html)
- Place
- Dunowen, Belfast, Ireland
- Mentioned in
- Letter from Helen Duffin to Celia Duffin, 22 December 1915
- Letter from Terence Duffin to Maria Duffin, March 1916
- Letter from Celia Duffin to Maria Duffin, 15 March 1916
- Letter from Helen Duffin to Celia Duffin, 16 March 1916
- Letter from Dorothy to Maria Duffin, 25 March 1916
- Letter from Dorothy Duffin to her mother, Maria Duffin, 30 March 1916
- Letter from Maria Duffin to Celia Duffin, 13 February 1916
- Letter from Maria Duffin to Celia Duffin, 9 January 1916
- Letter from Maria Duffin to Celia Duffin, 27 February 1916
- Letter from Celia Duffin to Maria Duffin
- Letter from Maria Duffin to Celia Duffin, 19 March 1916
- Letter from Celia Duffin to Maria Duffin
- Letter from Emma Duffin to her mother, Maria Duffin, 5 March 1916
- Letter from Dorothy to Maria Duffin, 22 March 1916
- Letter from Dorothy Duffin to her mother, Maria Duffin, 31 July 1916
- Letter from Emma Duffin to her mother Maria Duffin, 27 March 1916
- Letter from Olive Duffin to her mother, Maria Duffin, November 1915
- Letter from Emma Duffin to her mother Maria Duffin, 22 November 1915
- Letter from Terence Duffin to his father Adam Duffin, 10 November 1915
- Letter from Terence Duffin to his mother Maria Duffin, 26 November 1915
- Letter from Olive Duffin to her mother Maria Duffin, November 1915
- Letter from Adam Duffin to his daughter Dorothy Duffin, 7 November 1915
- Letter from Dorothy Duffin to her mother Maria Duffin, 8 November 1915
- Letter from Celia Duffin to her mother Maria Duffin, November 1915
- Place
- 3 Chester Terrace, London, England
- Mentioned in
- Letter from Dorothy Duffin to her mother, Maria Duffin, 31 July 1916
- Mentioned in
-
- Letter from Dorothy to Maria Duffin, 25 March 1916
- Letter from Dorothy (Dussie) Duffin to Auntie B, 27 March 1916
- Letter from Dorothy Duffin to her mother, Maria Duffin, 30 March 1916
- Letter from Dorothy to Maria Duffin, 22 March 1916
- Letter from Dorothy Duffin to her mother, Maria Duffin, 31 July 1916
- Letter from Terence Duffin to his sister, Dorothy Duffin, 12 November 1915
- Letter from Adam Duffin to his daughter Dorothy Duffin, 7 November 1915
- Letter from Dorothy Duffin to her mother Maria Duffin, 8 November 1915
- Letter from Dorothy Duffin to Ruth Duffin, 29 November 1915
- Letter from Dorothy Duffin to Maria Duffin, 28 November 1915
- Mentioned in
-
- Letter from Celia Duffin to Maria Duffin, 24 January 1916
- Letter from Celia Duffin to Maria Duffin, February 1916
- Letter from Emma Duffin to Maria Duffin, 5 February 1916
- Letter from Terence Duffin to Maria Duffin, March 1916
- Letter from Celia Duffin to Maria Duffin, 15 March 1916
- Letter from Dorothy to Maria Duffin, 25 March 1916
- Letter from Dorothy Duffin to her mother, Maria Duffin, 30 March 1916
- Letter from Terrence Duffin to his mother, Maria Duffin, 31 December 1915
- Letter from Emma Duffin to Maria Duffin, 29 December 2015
- Letter from Celia Duffin to Maria Duffin, 8 December 1915
- Letter from Celia Duffin to Adam Duffin, 9 December 1915
- Letter from Olive Duffin to her mother, Maria Duffin, January 1916
- Letter from Olive Duffin to Maria Duffin, circa 1916
- Letter from Celia Duffin to Maria Duffin, 8 January 1916
- Letter from Maria Duffin to Celia Duffin, 13 February 1916
- Letter from Terence Duffin to Maria Duffin, 29 February 1916
- Letter from Maria Duffin to Celia Duffin, 6 February 1916
- Letter from Maria Duffin to Celia Duffin, 9 January 1916
- Letter from Maria Duffin to Celia Duffin, 27 February 1916
- Letter from Celia Duffin to her mother Maria Duffin, 14 February, 1916
- Letter from Celia Duffin to Maria Duffin
- Letter from Maria Duffin to Celia Duffin, 19 March 1916
- Letter from Celia Duffin to Maria Duffin
- Letter from Emma Duffin to her mother, Maria Duffin, 5 March 1916
- Letter from Dorothy to Maria Duffin, 22 March 1916
- Letter from Celia Duffin to Maria Duffin, 10 February 1916
- Letter from Dorothy Duffin to her mother, Maria Duffin, 31 July 1916
- Letter from Emma Duffin to her mother Maria Duffin, 27 March 1916
- Letter from Olive Duffin to Maria Duffin, 28 March 1916
- Letter from Celia Duffin to Maria Duffin, April 1915
- Letter from Celia Duffin to her mother, 15 November 1915
- Letter from Olive Duffin to her mother, Maria Duffin, November 1915
- Letter from Olive Duffin to her mother, November 1915
- Letter from Celia Duffin to Maria Duffin, 3 November 1915.
- From Celia Duffin to Maria Duffin, 9 April 1915
- Letter from Emma Duffin to her mother Maria Duffin, 22 November 1915
- Letter from Terence Duffin to his mother Maria Duffin, 26 November 1915
- Letter from Olive Duffin to her mother Maria Duffin, November 1915
- Letter from Dorothy Duffin to her mother Maria Duffin, 8 November 1915
- Letter from Celia Duffin to her mother Maria Duffin, November 1915
- Letter from Celia Duffin to Maria Duffin, 26 November 1915
- Letter from Olive Duffin to Maria Duffin, November 1915
- Letter from Dorothy Duffin to Maria Duffin, 28 November 1915
- Letter from Olive Duffin to Maria Duffin, 1 November 1915