Letter from Florence to Lady Clonbrock, 28 November 1916. Letters 1916-1923 Florence

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 was sent to Lady Clonbrock, Augusta Caroline Dillon (née Crofton), 'Tweety', (1839-1928), wife of Luke Gerald Dillon, 4th Baron Clonbrock, (1834-1917). Lady Clonbrock was one of a number of mainly well-to-do ladies who were members of the Irish Women's Association formed to provide food and comforts for prisoners of War (WW1) belonging to Irish Regiments. HMS Hampshire, on a mission to Russia, was sunk on 1 May 1916 west of the Orkneys. It was thought that there was little hope of survivors, and among those believed to be lost was Horatio Herbert Kitchener (1850-1916), referred to in this letter as Ld. K. The writer refers to the Hampshire incident and to a letter related to is which has been circulated. The writer goes on to describe bomb attacks on London in terms of the excitement it caused and the damage it did. Finally she refers to her 'General' as having been through the 'Beaumont Hamel Push' (Battle of the Somme, 1 July, 1916) and 'thoroughly enjoyed it!'

 National Library of Ireland Clonbrock Estate Papers, Collection List No. 54; Ms. 35,796/11/6 https://letters1916.ie/item/5900 English Florence 1916-11-28 Officers' Families Fund, Lansdowne House, Berkeley Square W., London, England. Augusta Caroline Dillon Female World War I (1914-1918) World War I (1914-1918)

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 Lansdowne House, Berkeley Square, w. Nov. 28th 1916 My dearest Tweety I've never had a moment to write till now. We are so amused at Sybils story having reached Ireland. It is true she heard ofthe letter but never actually saw it! Since then we have heard of several other prisoners of war on the Hampshire - but not one mentions Ld. K. PersonallyI always say he's alive!! but that is all I can tell you, it created a great excitement at the time, and the King was told abt. it — but the actual letter was never forthcoming! I'll let you know if I ever hear of anything exciting. Meanwhile we are full of excitement at this moment. We all heard 5 distinct crashes at 11-30 this morn & we went out to luncheon we hear 5 bombs were dropped in Belgravia at that time in Goodbye for now. I love getting a letter Fancy dear At. Georgey & Granny if they had lived in these days!!! ?Yours affec Florence ?Cockran? broad day light & brilliant sunshine - 44 Belgrave Sq. was hit, 13 Lowndes Square the bomb went right thru the house to the kitchen Several people were taken into St Georges Hospital & one bomb demolished a bakers shop near Harrods and also part of Victoria Station!! So the whole of London is wildly excited but no panic - "Isn't it amusing"? is what most people say!!! I can't say I think it is at all amusing ? We have just taken 44 Pont St for the winter and have come up today.! the girls are thrilled as they always longed to be "in a raid"!! I think everything is too dreadful just now, but mercifully one never has a moment to think ! We are so busy here - & get more & more so every moment! — Cecy lunched with Bea today & had heard all those bombs all round her! Maud & I heard them and said oh! its only practising in St. James' Park. Well I must get back to work - My "General" was all thru that Beaumont Hamel. Push & appears to have thoroughly enjoyed it! He said the 10 days passed like lightening"!!! & they were just going back & rest this week — Goodbye for now. I love getting a letter. I for Lacey dear at Grocery & Grocery if they had hired me here dogs!!! With ever affec. Florence Jordan Officers' Families Fund, Lansdowne House, Berkeley Square W., London, England. Letter from Florence to Lady Clonbrock, 28 November 1916. Augusta Caroline Dillon Letter from Alfred Gerald Crofton to Lady Clonbrock, 13 December 1915Letter from Alfred Gerald Crofton to Lady Clonbrock, 1 October 1916Letter from Private M. Cahill to Lady Clonbrock, 17 April 1916Letter from J. L. Hay to Lady Clonbrock, 7 January 1916Letter from Private Patrick Furey to Lady Clonbrock, 4 January 1916Letter from Jessie Crofton to Lady Clonbrock, 19 April 1916Letter from John J. Thompson to Augusta Caroline Dillon, Lady Clonbrock, 13 November 1915Letter from Josephine Murray to Lady Clonbrock, 22 May 1916Letter from Elizabeth Francis Neill to Lady Clonbrock, 21 February 1916Letter from Maude Chenevix Trench to Lady Clonbrock, 13 June 1916Postcard from Maude Chenevix Trench to Lady Clonbrock, 16 May 1916Letter from Lady Clonbrock to Eliza Chamier, 24 May 1916Letter from George Hugh Chetwood Townsend to Lady Clonbrock, 1 April 1916Letter from Edith Francis Maxwell to Lady Clonbrock, 22 June 1916Letter from Emma Armstrong to Lady Clonbrock, 2 August 1916Letter from Ursula Mahon to Lady Clonbrock, 18 July 1916Letter from Lady Mayo, Royal Dublin Fusiliers Kildare Committee, to Lady Clonbrock, 31 December 1915.Letter from Mrs. Arthur Goff to Lady Clonbrock, 12 August, 1916.Letter from Mrs. Arthur Goff to Lady Clonbrock, 12 August 1916.Letter from Mrs. Arthur Goff to Lady Clonbrock, 29 February 1916.Letter from Mrs. Arthur Goff to Lady Clonbrock, 25 February, 1916.Letter from Lady Mayo to Lady Clonbrock, 28 December, 1915.Letter from N. Maxwell, 23 July 1916.Letter from Emma Armstrong to Lady Clonbrock, 23 February, 1916.Letter from Kathleen Lewis, 19 October 1916.Letter from George C. Townshend to Lady Clonbrock, 18 October 1916.Letter from Emma Armstrong to Lady Clonbrock, 26 June 1916Letter from the Marquess of Sligo to Lady Clonbrock, 23 October, 1916.Letter from Florence to Lady Clonbrock, 28 November 1916. Florence Letter from Eileen McGowan to Florence, 26 May 1916Letter from Florence to Lady Clonbrock, 28 November 1916.