non sibi sed toti	Parsons Family and Friends

Emily Index Chapter One: Her parents Chapter Two: Growing up in Wicklow Chapter Three: The Years of the Great War Chapter Four: Boarding School Chapter Five: The Idyll Ends Chapter Six: The Morris Minor - and Poland Chapter Seven:January 3rd or My Journey to Warsaw Chapter Eight: Sewerynov 3 Chapter Nine: Love in a cold climate Chapter Ten: Escape with a baby Chapter Eleven: Dubliners Chapter Twelve: Post-war London Chapter Thirteen: In Metroland Chapter Fourteen: Dreaming Spires Chapter Fifteen: Sheffield Chapter Sixteen: Gold and Diamond Chapter 6: The Morris Minor - and Poland With her good friend Kitty Molyneaux, Emily took a holiday in Wales. The letter is not dated except with 'Wednesday 4 p.m.' The holiday started from Ireland with a crossing on the mail boat from Dun Laoghaire to Holyhead. Nowadays the crossing is by twin hull ferry, and one is hardly aware of being at sea, but the mail boat, without stabilisers, was at the mercy of the waves, and many passengers were seasick. Emily wrote to her mother and Charlie: "The crossing was really quite calm but a little less so near Holyhead. It was touch and go with me for 5 minutes then but the storm was successfully weathered. Kitty met numerous friends on the boat. One girl from school had contrived to see the works and alleged that her photo was taken by a sort of fixed camera in the engine room. She also saw the wireless operator's apartment and was initiated into the last signal he sends out when up to his neck in water." Kitty and Emily evidently drove to Bryn-Tyrch Hotel, Capel Curig, near Bettws-y-Coed. Emily wrote her letter soon after arriving, as she sat awaiting tea. She had found "a large grey tabby cat and it and me are sitting on a sofa adjacent to the window. It seems all extremely clean and as C. said poshed up. A. Smith was a bit truculent when we arrived and said they expected us yesterday and that I had written the 22nd on my letter. Fortunately I had his letter saying he was keeping a room for the 23rd so smote him hip and thigh." Tea arrived, and was adjudged 'nice.' They chatted with "an elderly lady with a nice voice. There are also a youth and damsel who may or may not have been climbing Snowdon. They had a rope anyhow. We exchanged a few words anent opening the window." "They charge 12/6 a day here which is a good deal tho' to be expected in the season doubtless. We may decide to go somewhere nearer the North coast on Friday or Saturday so if you both feel like running amok and joining us we might be at Deganwy or Abergele. Much love to both from the little climber of the Welsh Alps Your own E. E. W." Though over 50, Evelyn did take part in many of Emily's activities. They both appear in a group photo of a rambling club, and a list of 21 names of people at an Eniskerry Weekend in 1932, in connection, it seems, with C.M.J., includes: Emily Wynne Kitty Molyneux, Emily's holidaying friend Doris Comben, a neighbour in Foxrock E. C. A. Wynne, Emily's mother R. E. Wynne (I can't think who this was), and Irene A. Ball-Acton, Emily's aunt. Emily's days seem to have been full of everyday chores, trips to Dublin for shopping or meetings, visits to and by friends and relations, occasional tennis, and helping with "the Club", which was apparently a Church organisation for young people. In 1930 Emily bought a motor car. (See a generous selection of diary entries here.) In her diary on Monday 14th July she wrote: Some rain, Ernest drove C. and me to Dublin about 11. We looked for a Morris Minor but could not find one, then for an Austin 7. Pretty scarce. In the next day or two she must have found the Morris Minor she was looking for, because on Saturday 19th July there was a note: "Speedometer reading approx 3,600 miles"; it must have been a second hand car. The following Tuesday: 3 galls petrol 4/4 ½ . Next day Emily got up very late, on a fine but coldish day, and took the car out without Charlie for the first time. She drove her Mother to visit someone at the convalescent home in Stillorgan. not far from Foxrock. Meanwhile Charlie was developing photos that he had taken that morning of the new car. Motoring in 1930 was clearly not problem free. The car broke down in a day or two. On Saturday 28th July Charlie rang the garage and heard the car would not be available for the afternoon. On Monday it turned out that the garage had to get a new thrust bearing from England, so they had to wire Cousin May Wynne in Glendalough to put off a visit. Emily, Charlie and Ernest Switzer eventually did visit Glendalough the following Monday afternoon, when they had tea in Lake Cottage with Llewy and Alice Wynne. On the Friday of the same week she was in Glendalough again, taking some people called Brown, but she had trouble with the starter and the accelerator. She kept an eye on the car, and recorded her expenses: 1 quart of oil, 1/8; 2 gallons of petrol, 2/11. Polish cost a shilling, and Brittains, whatever that was, five shillings. She checked the rear axle to see if there was enough oil one day, and another day greased all the nipples except "thing under tank." On August 14th, having driven to Dublin in the afternoon, she took her friend Marie Johnson and two others for a drive after supper and 2the car choked for a mile or so which was a pity." Next day she was off to Glendalough again with someone called Tubby, and the car "came well up the Long Hill," a long haul up from Kilmacanogue round the Big Sugarloaf mountain. In fact the car was such a useful and entertaining aquisition that Emily completed her first thousand miles in it by October 22nd. By this time she was buying Shell petrol four gallons at a time, for five shillings. Mechanical troubles continued to occur. On December 1st it was the steering, and a problem with sticking in bottom gear. Brittains kept the car from Monday to Friday, and the steering was still not right - too much wandering about the road. On Boxing Day it was Charlie who "made the speedometer work by cutting a bit off the end of the opening into which the cable goes." Perhaps it was next year, 1931, that Emily, Charlie, Hilda Dent and Ernest Switzer went on a tour of Ireland. Emily remembered that tour with affection,including the time when they were very low on petrol on the way to Killarney, when they all rocked backwards and forwards to encourage the car over the next hill. They called it "Scotchmanning" to Killarney. This typewritten verse has no name or date, but was found in an envelope labelled "Hilda's Delightful Verses". THE TALE OF A TOUR. Och! I've just been seeing Ireland, & its surely won my heart, Both the Northern, & the State they label free. Though its called distressful isle they have missed it by a mile, for the island's not distressful - its the sea! I have seen the sights of Dublin, the Cathedrals & the Bank, I have winked at all the monkeys in the Zoo. I have seen them turning out both the biscuits and the stout From which perchance the fame of Dublin grew. I have paced the halls of Trinity & seen the Book of Kells: I've driven round the race track in the Park. When I gazed with bated breath at a gruesome sight of death - Human bodies, dating (roughly) from the Ark. We climbed (with Mr. Bolger's aid,) to good St Kevin's bed, And I thought, if I had been his lady fair, As the beetling rock I shinned up, (with the most appalling wind-up) I would certainly have left him to his prayer! Then we started driving Northwards on a most amusing trip Which it grieved me sore should ever have to end, for its pleasure minus trouble when you sight-see at the double With a little Morris Minor - AND a friend. We passed the Mourne Mountains where they sweep into the sea; In the dusk we peered at Castlewellans' park: Then I drove with reckless power (nearly eighteen miles an hour) Till we came to "Mr" Belfast in the dark. When a most unfriendly porter had discovered us some rooms To the grim Hotel Imperial we flew, Where we shared our plates & places with the three fictitious Graces, And a gloomy waiter watched us - all too true! Then round the coast to Larne & Cushendall & Cushendun With the Scottish mountains rising on our right; Islay, Jura & Kintyre - till, with sunset beams afire The Giants Causeway came at last to sight. We sat & wished three wishes in the chair of Finn MacCoull, We saw the cliffs which breakers sometimes crown - Niagara is like them, but to Yankees it must strike them water's finer going up than coming down! We nearly died with laughing in the garage at Portrush About the "smaller items" in the car. At Derry we were struck by the courage and the pluck Of the Prentice Boys in times of trouble far. Then Donegal - Buncrana, & "the" Swillys' gleaming waves, With behind it range on range of mountains bare. It seems a little funny that it isn't Don but Dunny, But whever be its name it's passing fair. Then on to Enniskillen as the darkness round us fell, Leaving far behind the waters of Lough Foyle. But alas! poor foolish laggards we had failed to stop at Taggarts, So with anxious eyes we scanned the world for oil. And now I'm back in England where we're proud to cheer the King And a pillar box is red instead of green. But my heart is tingling still with the glamour and the thrill Of all the things I've done and heard and seen; - The view from off the Sugar Loaf, a sunrise at Portrush, The coast road round from Larne to Cushendall, The ancient walls of Derry, Glendalough and Eniskerry, And the far alluring hills of Donegal. (Banned by the Censor as unfit for publication.) We have seen Emily's great interest in the Jewish people and the CMJ. She was by now secretary of the youth branch of the Society in Ireland. She seems to have helped with the showing of a CMJ film in 1933. Her brother Charlie wrote to her on March 5 asking: "Did you get on well as a cinema attendant? Had you a torch and a basket of chocolates made, of course, in Jerusalem." Through her contacts she learned in 1933 of the need for a volunteer in Warsaw, and offered to go. The head of the mission there, Mr Carpenter, wrote warmly to her in December Sewerynow 3 Warsaw Poland 20.xii.33 Dear Miss Wynne We are all rejoiced to hear that the Lord has led you to answer our call for help. It was indeed a surprise Christmas gift and we thank the Lord for it. I am arranging for your living in the mission house & I hope you will be comfortable & happy with the work among the young people. Miss Keith & her cousin are quite enthusiastic about it. Indeed it is marvelous in our eyes & it is the Lord's doing! With all best wishes for Christmas joy & rich blessing in the New Year. and believe yours very sincerely H. C. Carpenter. Her mother also received an understanding letter: Emmanuel Mission House Ul Sewerynow 3 Warsaw Dec. 26th My dear Mrs Wynne I cannot refrain from writing to you, to tell you of our deep thankfulness to you for your gracious promise regarding Miss Wynne. I know well what a self-sacrifice that will be to you! but it is the Master's call and in the acceptance of it you are also honoured. ... Emily set off on January 3rd 1934. Cousin Maud Acton, who lived in Paignton, Devon, heard about Emily's going and wrote to Evelyn: "I was surprised, but in many ways much pleased by the news in your letter received yesterday. I am very sorry that you should be left alone, as I know you will miss dear Emily so dreadfully, but for her advantage I think it is splendid; she is such a thorough capable devoted character, so unselfish and lovable, that I feel she ought to have the chance of doing great things." For Emily herself the journey to Warsaw was an adventure worthy of being minutely recorded in a sixpenny notebook that had once been her French notebook at Mountmellick. As Emily's time in Warsaw was such an important period of her life, with such important consequences, and since the journal itself is well written and entertaining, it deserves a place in this story. For Emily's first years in Warsaw we are also well supplied with letters from her Mother, which often summarise Emily's previous letters, and are almost as good as a journal. The new chapter in Emily's life deserves a new chapter in the book.