Scrapbook, 1916-09 - 1917-03
Scope and Contents
Eleanor opens this scrapbook with a photograph of the Queen of Spain and dates of key military battles in 1916 and 1917, the period covered by the scrapbook. Like other scrapbooks in the series, Eleanor combines reflections on her own experiences of the war in typed diary entries, with military battles which she notes on small pieces of paper on the right-hand side of her volume. She illustrates her scrapbook with postcards, photographs, newspaper clippings, illustrations, and signatures of people she has met; letters, and ephemera.
Diary entries include reflections on: work and social engagements; French President [Raymond Poincaré] visiting Royaumont; meeting Elsie de Wolfe who praised Eleanor’s work on the French front; meeting Dr Bart de Sandfort [inventor of Ambrine]; visiting hospital run by English women in Creil [France] and praise for work; English women providing refreshments in railway carriage; giving a lift to Russian surgeon carrying rare microbe; visiting Rockefeller Hospital and learning about new methods for treating wounds; sitting for miniature with Mlle Faure; witnessing Ambrine treatment by Dr Sandfort with accompanying illustrations showing transformation of soldier’s face; breaking her tooth; visiting Compiegne [France] and arranging rooms for Diana Wyndham and Rosemary Leveson Gower who were going for a month to study the Carrel treatment of wounds at the Rockefeller Hospital; visiting the Women’s Emergency Canteens beyond Rethondes [France] and subsequently providing them with a car; visiting the Louvre to see war photographs; visiting Women’s Emergency Canteen in hospital at Royallieu [France]; visiting "Depot des Dons" near Bois and Gare du Nord [France]; visit by [Norah] Desmond Hackett; visting soldiers who Eleanor had arranged to give prosthetic limbs; attending Red Cross Bazaar and buying a pair of white Java [birds]; experiencing food poisoning; passing General Joffre in a car in Paris; delivering Christmas presents to wounded men; attending exhibition of soldiers’ work; meeting soldier who waiting for arrival of wife from England; visiting canteen run by ‘Dames Anglaises’ in Villers; buying new fur coat; visit by her daughter Sylvia and showing toys and postcards crafted by soldiers; visit by son Maurice and his family; travelling to Compiegne and Rethondes to show Sylvia canteens; reflections on Mrs Toualin and her figure; visiting Chateau de Chantilly [France]; and being drawn by Frances Phipps.
Other items include: newspaper articles on Scottish Women's Hospital; nurses tending wounded Serbians; photographs of Royaumont; maps of Battle of the Somme; photograph of German shell falling into water at Aveley, by Albert [France]; Flers [France] in ruins; menus; photograph of Lloyd George at front, including by grave; group photograph with Eleanor seated at the front; photograph and signature of Katharine Furst; article on Eleanor showing around prisoners’ wives, with typed annotation from Eleanor; newspaper article about the work of the Women’s Emergency Corps; Punch cartoon featuring nurses; photograph of a shell bursting in a field; a photograph of a soldier holding a goat captioned ‘The Mascot of the Royal Scots’; photograph of a dead artillery horse; newspaper clippings on impact of rain in the trenches; photograph of Elsie de Wolfe who worked with Ambrine patients; newspaper clipping on cold weather in Paris; photograph of staff at Royaumont standing by NUWSS [National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies] Scottish Women’s Hospitals ambulance; poem titled ‘Melody’; newspaper clippings about a trench rat called George; letter from Harry Brittain arranging for Eleanor to meet his friend and journalist Edward Marshall who was seriously wounded during the Spanish-American War; concert and theatre programmes; photograph of the use of heavy guns by British troops; pressed flowers from Chateau Annel [France]; a short description of Monsieur le Comte by Eleanor; photograph of wounded dog in the trenches; photograph of a golden eagle with British officer who raised him; postcard about spying featuring two girls and a dog; a photograph of a nurse helping another nurse put on her head covering; various humorous postcards; a hairclip (?) from Villers [France]; a letter from the Women’s Emergency Canteen thanking Eleanor for article she wrote about their work; postcard of kangaroo with soldiers; letter thanking Eleanor for providing Women’s Emergency Corps with car; photograph of daughter [Sylvia]; photograph showing the Dakin-Carrel method; French advertisement for children’s clothing store; clipping on chameleon onboard H.M.S. Vigilant; letter from Women’s Emergency Canteens for Soldiers thanking Eleanor for motor car and cigarettes; postcard mocking censoring of letters; photograph of Indian calvary in Pys [France]; ruins in Thilloy [France] and Lebarque [France]; postcards of Chateau de Chantilly [France]; photographs of trenches built by German military; ruins in Gommecourt [France]; photographs of Edward, Prince of Wales in Beaussart [France]; damage in Amiens St Quentin Road; portrait of Douglas Haig’s baby son; aerial photograph of Bapaume [France] burning, given to Reginald by Douglas Haig; ruins in Bapaume; photograph of airship brought down at Compiegne; soldiers in Brie and damage in Courcelette [France].
Dates
- Creation: 1916-09 - 1917-03
Creator
- From the Series: Brett (née Van de Weyer), Eleanor Frances Weston, Viscountess Esher (1862-1940) (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open for consultation by researchers using Churchill Archives Centre, Churchill College, Cambridge.
Extent
1 volume(s)
Language of Materials
English
Finding aid date
2019-01-16 15:13:19+00:00
Genre / Form
Geographic
Topical
Repository Details
Part of the Churchill Archives Centre Repository
Churchill Archives Centre
Churchill College
Cambridge Cambridgeshire CB3 0DS United Kingdom
+44 (0)1223 336087
archives@chu.cam.ac.uk