Hazelwell,It was, incidentally, very fortunate for Charlie that the war ended when it did. He was, as he wrote, an N.C.O. in the school Officers' Training Corps, and like all the young men of his generation he had faced the prospect of conscription and the torment and danger of Flanders trenches, in the war that had already taken the lives of two uncles. As it happened, he left school the month after the Armistice was signed.
Cheltenham
1/12/18
My dear Emily,
I am so glad my letter cheered you, well cheerio again half a dozen times and then once more for luck. Just lately I have been very bucked with life, I don't know why but I have. Today, however, the gramophone spring has broken so I am fed to the teeth with everything.
However I think of how bucked I was yesterday and say that the gramophone doesn't matter a blow and then I am left very fairly braced.
Please thank Mother very much for her kindness re oof but don't let her put herself out as you see I have £1 which is plenty only the more you have the more you spend.
Oh yes I heard from my small friend the other day. Old Strachan. I wrote to him asking for a letter and a photo. Both arrived in a few days and in future I know him as Bob? Topping old fellow he is. He said I might come down here for a weekend. I am sure you would quite agree with me going out with him if he did come, wouldn't you? just to satisfy Unwin I write.
And oh yes again, I have passed for sergeant and hope I may wangle promotion before I leave. I got 91 out of 100 and was 1st. I am 6th this week.
Well goodbye for the present, with love to all from your
very loving brother
Charlie L/s.
The Friends' School, Mountmellick, was one of the buildings in the town square. It closed as a Friends' School soon after Emily left, but a national school still stands on the site, and the building facing the square may be the same one that Emily knew, though there are many newer buildings stretching back from it now. The website of the Mountmellick Development Association says:
1921 the school was sold to the Catholic Order of Presentation Sisters. Education has continued on the site and the present day Mountmellick Community School opened in 1991.We now know that the school was in difficulies. A report had been commissioned on the four Quaker schools in Ireland in 1917:
It was now, in 1917, that in response to widespread Quaker discussion about education, Ireland Yearly Meeting appointed a Committee to consider the whole question of the nation's four Quaker schools. Made up of twenty-nine names honoured throughout the Society and helped by the `professional inspection of Charles R. J. Tipper, Director of Education for Westmorland, and Mary F. Hartley, Headmistress of Ackworth', it presented its report to the Yearly Meeting of the following year, 1918. It was a model of common sense and clear expression. The Committee's recognition that `the Friends of the first two centuries attached more importance to Quaker education than we do now', enabled it to avoid adopting impressive but unhelpful postures as it addressed itself realistically to problems which still perplex the Society in both England and Ireland.Miss Moss, the Headmistress, welcomed her. When she gave her a timetable that included Latin, Emily said, "I don't think my parents want me to do Latin." Miss Moss told her firmly, "Everyone does Latin here."
The four schools were Brookfield, Mountmellick, Newtown, and Ulster Provincial. Between them, the Committee noted in its factual way, they had room for 236 boarders ; in fact, they totalled 229 pupils of whom eighty-six had Quaker parents. Of the thirty-five resident staff, seventeen were Friends. And things were equally unsatisfactory financially, for over the previous five years the schools had lost just over £1,000 between them, or about £55 each a year-'not much, but when it is remembered that more than half the children are non-Friends . . . the position is not satisfactory'.
As these words reveal, the Committee's over-riding interest was in the schools' relationships with their parent Society. Educationally, there was much to commend in all four ; Quakerwise, there were serious drawbacksAll of these combined to make them schools which provided a cheap rather than a Quaker education. This was, in the Committee's view, highly unsatisfactory: Quaker schools should be Quaker, efficient, and open equally to the children of all Friends, whatever their circumstances.
- a lack of the teaching of Friends' history and principles;
- poorly paid staff;
- the disadvantages of smallness; and
- poor buildings, each house being originally a private house with later additions.
"Friends' SchoolAunt Kate had built a small chapel on the edge of the grounds of Kilmacurragh, and arranged for a service to be held each Sunday afternoon. Laragh is the village nearest to Glendalough, and has a Church of Ireland Church where the Wynnes of Glendalough worshipped. The baby born to May and Jack Wynne was Patrick.
Mountmellick
16th February 1919
My darling Mother,
Thank you so much for your dear letters. I love to hear what everyone is doing. I daresay Daddie is taking Aunt Kate's service this afternoon, or driving to Laragh. I am so glad that Cousin May has a baby with red brown hair. You did not say whether it was a boy or a girl. What a lot of relations there are to make much of it at Glendalough."
"We have had quite an exciting week. Some 'Friends' came for the night on Thursday. Two Mr Webbs and Mr Wigam. He came into the room and talked and he said wasn't I the girl who was nearly late for the train, and he laughed like anything. He is a funny little man. He said he knew Daddie and talked about the S. O. B. M. and said he had done most of the work of the secretary or something or other, but he was shoved off because he wasn't on the committee.Turf is what the English call peat.
Rachel Goodbody has just dropped some turfy ashes all over this letter so please excuse it."
"On Thursday afternoon there was a gym display for the benefit of the 3 committee people. One of them sang comic songs. In the evening the other Webb gave a lecture about the St. John's Ambulance Brigade. He also told us where our arteries went and how to stop them when they are chopped in half. There is another Friend staying here today, Mr Halliday."Washing one's hair is still a preoccupation at girls' boarding schools, but today's students would feel that the interval between washes should be shorter than Emily had.
"Yesterday I washed my hair. Libby Roberts helped me but I'm afraid we didn't get all the soap out because it does not look a bit nice today. It did not really want it much but each class has a Saturday for washing hair every 3 weeks and so I thought I better wash it yesterday as another 3 weeks would be rather long.This is a poem by Mrs Alexander, 80 lines long, on the burial of Moses, and is the second entry in the hand-written hymn or poetry book.
"Talking about my hair reminds me that I do want some more hair ribbon. I lost a new one and now I only have 2 short ones and 2 stringy long ones. If you could send me some black ribbon about 2 inches broad it would be most gratefully received and acknowledged, and also if it would not be too much could you send two slides. Everyone makes rude remarks about my hair if it is not tidy. I feel a beast asking for so much, and I do hope it won't be too much trouble. They will be very useful and much valued."
"I wore the jumper last Thursday and I like it very much. I did not notice that one arm hole was too big. The blue ribbon looks quite right with it.
The eggs arrived safely on Saturday. Miss Moss [the headmistress] was hurrying past and said take them down to the kitchen, and you can have one every morning. But I don't know if they are to be beaten up or boiled, as I did not have one this morning. I hope to write and tell you soon how I get them.
"We have to learn 'On Nebo's lonely mountain' this week so I will have to copy it into my book soon."
"How are Grace [Morgan] and Rachel? [The maids] There is a boy at Church who disappears behind the organ and I suppose blows it, who reminds me of Ernest! But he is really much more ------- well simple looking, but he walks with his head down like this" [Little figure drawing] I think I have told you all the news. I feel very well, and I really enjoy being here on the whole.The Church of Ireland church is not far from the school, behind the left side of the square as you leave the school. Ernest was Ernest Switzer, a great friend of Charlie's. His widow Mildred lived in a residential home in Blackrock, Co. Dublin, until about the year 2000.
With heaps of love
from your very loving
Emily."
CAMADERRY,Letters and parcels continued to go to and fro. Evelyn sent eggs and Emily sent back the egg boxes. Once Evelyn sent some Tobralco linen, commonly used for schoolgirls' summer uniform. Letters were exchanged with Miss Moss. Later in March Miss Moss wrote to say that Emily was poorly and staying in bed, and Evelyn immediately sent a food parcel and a book. The bad turn lasted only a couple of days.
GLENDALOUGH,
CO. WICKLOW.
Glendalough
17th Feby 1919
My own Sweet Emily,
Thank you so much for your sweet loving letter. I am so glad to hear your cheery letters and they do so comfort dearest Mother. I have been up here since Wednesday evening.
Aunt Kate wrote saying she wanted me most particularly to come up and to stay with her over Sunday - and as long after as I could.
It turned out that I was not to know, but the Hardings and a number of others including the local Orangemen wanted her to get me up to an entertainment they wished to give in my honour. The day after I arrived I received a printed card of invitation "From the Committee" to a party at the Laragh Schoolhouse on Saturday evening at 7 o'cl.
We had the Hotel Motor and Aunt K., Gladys, John and Veronica started off at 10 minutes to 7 sharp. As I was getting in the car I heard Gladys whispering to the chauffeur to hoot three loud hoots at the top of the hill into Laragh. This he did and as we crossed Laragh bridge I saw them lighting about 20 torches in front of the School.
When we pulled up and I got out to help Aunt Kate out I saw the whole front of the School lighted up and a long row of people from the Schoolhouse door down to the garden gate and Ned Harding and Nancy Tyndall seized me and carried on their shoulders down the row of people who held each other's hands high over their heads, and placed me in a chair at the head of a long table down the School Room. While the people flocked in I looked round and saw the room was wonderfully decorated with garlands of evergreens criss-crossed across overhead, with large wreaths of evergreens and flowers hanging from them in every one of which was a coloured lanthorn. These garlands were alternated with strings of bannerettes. Over the fireplace was a large frame with a large design of Orangeman's symbols and over that a large white banner about a yard wide and 1 1/2 yards long with the following:
Cemented with loveand in the middle at the foot of it was my photo out of Aunt Kate's drawing room.
a hundred thousand
welcomes
to Mr. E. N. WYNNE
on this his first visit to Glendalough in 1919
Up Eniskillen, Aughram, and the Boyne
The table was spread for tea for between 40 and 50 with plates of cakes and tarts galore and in front of me a large round iced cake with "Welcome to E. N. Wynne" in pink icing on white, and all sorts of ornamental squiggles round it, and L. O. L. 945 in a circle in centre.
Ned Harding got all to stand up for me and then made a long speech inventing all sorts of virtues as mine and how I had endeared myself to them and so forth. It was a bit rough on me for I was so affected at first I found it hard to start, but then I thanked them feelingly and told them how I felt towards them all, and how [I] had always had proof of their kindly generous feeling towards myself and my sister and complimented them on the beautiful way they had decorated the rooms etc. etc.
We had a great tea and plenty of fun at it, and afterwards any amount of songs and recitations interspersed with snatches of country dances and Mary Anne and I joined in as one couple, which brought immense applause. Ned H. danced with Mrs Halligan and also with Veronica and then Ned called for three cheers for Aunt Kate, then for me, then Mr Halligan. And Jack called for same for the entertaining committee, and I for the ladies who had attended on us, and we finished up with the National Anthem and got home at 11.45.
Wasn't it very kind and touching all the trouble they took and the nice way they did it all. They sent invitations to Mother and Charlie but it was too far for them to come.
... Fondest love to you, my own Darling. May God bless you and keep you well and happy, till we meet again.
Aunt Kate sends you fond love.
Your very loving
Daddie.
IRISH "ART" AT BISLEYFrom the Daily Mail, Saturday, July 12, 1919
BATTLE OF CHALK AND DUSTER.
From our Special Correspondent
Bisley, Friday
The Elcho Shield competition between England, Scotland and Ireland was enriched by a subsidiary competition, confined to the Irish team, as to what political mottoes and aspirations should appear on the Irish scoring board.
The Irish team included a veteran shot, Mr. E. N. Wynne, of the Irish Rifle Association, and two very young shots in the persons of Lieut. Blood and Mr. R. B. Blood, who is 18 and has just left school. It was the business of Lieut. Blood to chalk up the designs on the Irish scoring board. Blessed with the national imagination, he headed it, "Dominion of Ireland," adorning the superscription with a shamrock on the one side and an Irish harp, of correct heraldic design, on the other.
Mr. Wynne did not observe these party signs and emblems until he had finished his first shoot. He removed them with efficacy, indignation, and a handkerchief. For "Dominion of Ireland" he substituted "Loyal Ireland," and chalked an Imperial Crown above the harp. It was a long business, but he suffered no interruption, for Lieut. Blood was then shooting.
AN AVENGING DUSTER
Then Mr. Wynne got down to shoot, and Lieut. Blood devoted his attention to draughtsmanship. He restored the "Dominion," and he augmented the shield with the motto "Erin go Bragh" in Erse characters.
It was now Lieut. Blood's turn with the powder and his rival's with the chalk. Working with cold and precise diligence, Mr. Wynne rubbed out the horrid words, chalked all over the blazon Quis Separabit?
Lieut. Blood returned from the firing point with a decent scoring card in one hand, and an avenging duster in the other. But, alas! the competition was ended, for Mr. Wynne had stayed behind to declare to the captain that if there was any further interference with his chalkmanship he would lay down his rifle. That was a calamity too dreadful to contemplate, for at that point Mr. Wynne had the third best score of the team. So Lieutenant Blood laughed merrily and Quis Separabit? remained in its pride and glory for the rest of the day. .................
England won the Elcho Shield, the final scores being: England, 1,664; Scotland, 1,623; Ireland, 1,609.
"WicklowIn fact Aunt Maria died the day after Emily's birthday, and Evelyn went to Greystones for her funeral on Thursday 24th, and then to the burial at Newcastle.
19 June 1920
My own Sweet Pet,
I write to wish you with all my loving heart a very very happy birthday, and may our loving Father grant very many more all happy and peaceful and surrounded with love. We miss you muchly here, but are always so glad to get your dear bright happy letters, don't think we watch for them to get "news", it is to catch a bright breath of your ever dear self we value them.
I have been feeling tired ever since this fine warm weather set in and it makes me very lazy about doing things and O there is so much to be done in the garden. I get in despair at times - "but where is the use of complaining, for where there's a will there's a way."
We were having the people from Ballyhenry to tea this afternoon to get to know them, and then Miss O'Neill has just come and says she is going to dump that starched magpie Miss DeButts on us - ugggh.
I suppose Mother has told you how very ill Aunt Maria is? We got a telegram on Tuesday asking Mother and me to go to Edie at once. Dear Aunt Maria had had a stroke and was lying insensible in bed and has been so ever since. She was apparently a shade better yesterday but I fear she will never be quite well. We stayed there till yesterday, Aunt Edith came then, and stays with Edie, and we propose to go to her again for a while next week.
I ran up to Belfast last week, and there had my Grand Lodge meeting in Portadown on Wednesday. The County Council Elections had just taken place, and in one village there every protestant house had this notice fastened to its door when they came out:The summer holidays were a delightful succession of outings with Charlie, climbing Carrick Mountain above Glenealy, bathing at Jack's Hole in Brittas Bay, playing tennis or rounders with friends, driving as a family to Tigroney, the Avoca home of the three Wynne sisters, or to a concert at Dromin, a large house near Delgany. On other days Emily would help in the house and garden.
To William and Mary Waite.
It is understood that you intend to vote Unionist tomorrow. Now voting Unionist we take it you vote to keep Ireland in bondage. Therefore if you come to vote tomorrow be prepared to meet your God for you shall not return. What has been done in the south can be done in the north. The time for humbug is over.
Signed The Black Hand of Glenelly.
and them if any were frightened from voting, some Sinn Feiner personated them and voted Sinn Fein in their names.
It's a cheerful time. The Diocesan Council has deputed me and the Archdeacon of Glendalough to go to Avoca, and hold a fresh Easter Vestry election there as Mr Robinson acted so badly at the first and it has been declared invalid.
Won't we have a jolly time? I don't think.
With much fond love to my own Darling Emily from
her very loving Daddie.