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 8: Sewerynow 3 1934 Emily wrote a skeleton outline of her time in Warsaw: 1934 To Warsaw January. Home end of June. Back with Pilkie Nov.. 1935 M. P. arrived. Home summer. Mother and I out in October? Engaged December. 1936 Married April. Mother home May. 1937 David born February. Mother came for 2 or 3 months. 1938 Home on furlough (May?). David's accident (scald) M back autumn. 1939 David and I out in February. Fled 31st March. It was a relatively short period of her life, but it changed everything for her, and she and Martin always looked back on these years as a very special time. The first days in the new city were full of experiences. It is best to read about them just as Evelyn did in Emily's letters: Sat evening [6th January 1934] Sewerynow 3 Warsaw Poland My darling Mother, I hope you got my wire some time today and that its extreme brevity didn't alarm you, but Miss Keith wandered off and sent it before I'd quite realised she was doing more than see about sending it. So I was a bit bothered thinking you would think I was too tired to write more when it wasn't that at all. I wasn't a bit tired and thoroughly enjoyed the journey and the train was 3 minutes ahead of time, and Mr Carpenter and Miss Keith and another lady all met me on the platform and Mr C. went off and got a stamp and posted the letter I finished in such a hurry. I wonder when you'll get it. I have two lovely rooms so warm and I can open the windows. I was taken out for a short walk by Mrs Carpenter but it became quite a long visit to a Liverpool couple (he - Mr Phillips knew Mr Hewett 20 years ago in Liverpool). So the result is I can only write this hasty scrawl. Emily was able to write a little more fully in her journal: Jan 6. Unpacked in the morning after breakfast in bed, brightened by visits from Miss Wrice. After mid-day dinner with Mr and Mrs. Carpenter, Mrs. Carpenter took me for my first walk in Warsaw. It was snowing and there were sleighs drawn by horses in the streets, with two passengers besides the driver. She showed me the Post Office and nearby the new insurance building. Surely a skyscraper, about 18 stories high. Then we visited some English friends in a very fine building of flats. They gave us tea which Michael, aged three, helped to hand round. It was strange shaking the snow off our galoshes and snow boots. As we came back to the Mission House we met quite a number of very well dressed Jews coming out from the Saturday afternoon meeting. My first sight of any part of the work. The letter ends: I am very so well and have quite forgotten the chill. Lunch with the Carpenters and supper directly with Miss K. and Miss W. Everything fine except rather many parties. Hope I steer a safe course. Much, much love to all and a proper letter and map of rooms soon. Yours own Emily. X X X X X X X Emmanuel Mission House Sunday morning Jan 7th [1934] Sewerynow 3 Warsaw Poland My own darling Mother, I have just got Kitty's letter this morning and your message that you were very well on Thursday morning. I am so very glad and I do hope you are today too. For we did have such tumults - in a way that it would be no wonder if you were upset. Really, the promise Doris Comben brought written down that morning was most literally fulfilled in all my journey. Everything was so perfectly easy and I was so very well and comfortable and luxurious, and enjoyed it ever so much. I wish I had contrived to post a letter in Berlin, for I'm afraid the one Mr Carpenter posted when I arrived won't arrive till Tuesday. But the wire I expect you got yesterday but alas! that it was so very inadequate. But I said about that in the note I wrote yesterday. How I could not have written a proper letter yesterday I can't think, but I daresay this will get to you at the same time as yesterday evening's pencil note. Well, yesterday morning Mrs Carpenter sent me up breakfast on two trays! I slept like a log both these nights. I had two visits from Miss Wrice during breakfast, I think, and more while I was getting up! She is a true Irish woman as regards the gift of the gab! Porridge, milk, tea, boiled egg, roll and slices of large roll and butter. Then Miss Wrice popped in again and said Mrs C. was talking with Miss K. about my feeding arrangements etc. and I had better come down. So I did. The idea is that I have dinner with the C's at 1.30 and that they send up my breakfast on a tray every morning to my flat. Mrs C. also wanted me to have my rooms done out by the sister of the caretaker (who lives down stairs) for 20 zloty a month, and she was also to bring up my breakfast, instead of Mrs. C's own maid. I said firmly I would like to do my own rooms for sake of exercise and vaguely that I thought I would like to try getting my own tea and egg for breakfast. However it was left that I am to try each way for a week and see how it goes. Supper with Miss K. and Miss W. I much regret to say that Miss W. says one wants to have the caretaker's sister do my rooms at my expense that she may also be caused to do odd jobs for one at the same time. This seems very distressing but let's hope it is not so. Here I stopped for lunch. Both Mr and Mrs C. are very nice and kind and Mrs encourages me to eat very kindly and tells me she will almost always be ready to go for a walk with me if I like. Yesterday morning I unpacked my things with conversational accompaniment from Miss Wrice. I don't know what else I did but had lunch about 2 with the C's. Then in the afternoon Mrs C/ said she would take me for a short walk. It was snowing a little and there were real little sleighs in the street, some with bells. The driver in front and two passengers behind. Great big high buildings. It was the Three Kings Festival so the shops were shut. It didn't occur to me what this meant, till it was explained to me. Do you know? Then it was said one would like to go and see some English people who had not been to church for a long time. We found them in an elegant flat in a huge fine great block of flats built round a courtyard off the street. They were the people I told you about, and they have a small boy called Michael. Said I must come and meet a Miss Smith from Kerry some day. Then back and had supper with Miss K and W and then soon a Jewish girl who is a believer came and was with Miss K for an hour or so and then another followed her. I was just introduced to them when they arrived. Miss W. showed me photos and I came on a Swanwick Irish group with all the names in my writing on the back! I was much intrigued. Then one - Miss Rote? who is an American working in the Jewish quarter, and is at present lodging with the P.'s next door to me came and wished to pray for the morrow's work so we came up to my sitting room and talked a bit and remembered little Mrs Kitterick sailing that day, among other things. Then I down for a chat with Miss K. and W. and prayers with them and then before I could lay my sleepy head on my large down pillow, I wrote up my "Journal" for Friday. Alas, I'm a day behind with it! Then this morning I went with Miss K and W to the early service at 8.30. Just five there. Us three and Mrs C. and "John" a H[ebrew] C[hristian] who lives here and does odd jobs, plays the organ etc. I have turned the poor man out and he had to go down to a room on the ground floor, known as "going down to the Vistula" which sounds dreadfully pathetic, but is really only so called because some Vistula Co. used to rent those lower rooms. They are now to be used for Class rooms. After breakfast, which today I had down in the C's flat, I made my bed and redded up my room and was on my knees in my sitting room when Miss Wrice came in all ready for Church. I had a rush to get ready but we were in good time. It is at 11 and I had thought it was 12.15 but that is the Polish Service. It was a nice service, and nice music and I liked Mr C's sermon. His text was, "Certainly I will be with thee." In her journal, Emily adds: I like the simple little church. During the service it suddenly struck me that I was at a service in the Church at Warsaw of which I had so often read, with Mr Carpenter taking the service and an involuntary smile dawned on my face which I hoped was not observed. The letter continues: An old lady, Mrs Hall, sitting beside me grasped my hand at end of service and welcomed me and said I must go and see her soon. Outside in the side chapel a lady in a grey squirrel coat said, "When we went to Dublin they said Welcome to Ireland, so I say now, to you Welcome to Poland." Then I met Mrs Bregman who was waiting for the Polish Service and how I wished I could talk German. It was awful to have to stand like a great galoot and not give her news of her daughter. However I beseeched/besought Mrs. C to tell her I had seen her on Friday week and she was very well. The daughter speaks English so I hope she will be there when we visit her. Miss K. introduced me to Mrs P's sister and I think the sister's husband. He imprinted a slightly moist (or so it felt!) kiss on the back of my hand. I think I kept a poker face but it was rather a strain. He did it twice to Miss K. We are to go and see Mrs Hall all being well next Thursday. It is now 3.15 or by you 2.10. Perhaps Charlie is with you and you are just adjourning to the drawing room for coffee. I will describe our lunch. Nice soup with masses of a long thin stuff, I suppose shredded macaroni or spaghetti in it. Then chicken, curious kind of beetroot all chumped up, very nice boiled rice, and cauliflower with fried crumbs over it. Then a few slices of fried plum pudding which I didn't have, and a meringue and stewed apples. Up here an arrowroot biscuit from Foxrock to crown all. Dear dear, what a lot I'm writing. I must still describe the climate and my rooms. Which first I wonder. I think the weather. I've never been cold I think since I left home and mostly here I'm very warm, as the radiators are working well, and when out yesterday I didn't feel at all cold although it was snowing but of course I was enveloped in my lovely coat. It really is a lovely one and much admired and so nice and long and has a huge collar. I really don't think I need have got such warm undies but I daresay it will be colder soon. The people who hadn't fur coats in church this morning had very bulky ones as if much padded and so I expect they have it very cold sometimes. In fact Mr Phillips said they had it very cold before Christmas. He said 60 deg. of frost but Mr Carpenter said he must have meant something else - perhaps it was Reaumer. I have double windows but they are quite easy to open and I have one quite widish at night. Now for the flat. The bedroom B is distempered green and the sitting room S. is nicely papered a sort of fawnish with blue and orange smears. Quite nice in spite of description. Parquet floors with large mat in S.and small one in B. ___________________________________________ |_______|---------|_______|_______| -------|________| |_ R | | | | |C| |_W_| __ |__ |Desk |_| | | T| | | __ |_ | | |B | | | __ | | |E | __ |_| | |Divan | |D | |__| | |__| |_________________ \__|__/ ________________| | |W_B| | |_______________________/ ________________| Stairs _ _ |__ |__|__ |___| | The Prentki's | flat BC bookcase H harmonium T table with white cyclamen W wardrobe C chest of drawers with shelves on top at back W B wash hand basin with cold water. Really the radiator beside my bed is in a shallow alcove so my bed sticks out less than it looks. The square beside it is a bedside table with a shelf and an electric lamp with a green shade on it. The lobby where the basin is has some cupboards and trunks in it, also a window above the radiator. At the other end it is boarded up but used I believe to go on as a corridor into the P.'s flat when the students were here. Miss K and Miss W's flat is immediately below but different and when they want me they hit the radiator with a key and I hear it quite clearly. John from the ground floor sends up the time signals when he gets them on the wireless in the same way! The first night I had a bath in their flat and expect I usually will. It seems quite easy and the staircase is not thronged with Poles! It's getting quite darkened as it's 3.50. I must write to Charlie now. I can't tell much about the work yet. It restarts tomorrow and I am to go with Miss K. at first to see that she does. I do get a bit dismayed at the thought of it sometimes but I know and want to trust about that too. At 4.30 I am to go down to tea with Miss K. and go to her Bible Class at 5. Perhaps to play the hymns. She has lent me her baby organ up here for a bit. There is a bigger one downstairs. I am longing to hear from you. Once we establish communication it won't seem to matter so much the letters taking 4 days to go. With dear dear love, your own Emily The journal continued for a couple of weeks before being given up, so we shall read the nine entries that remain. Thursday 11th. A beautiful spring like day. Snow gone off the roofs. Sunny. Letters from Ireland. One contained a tiny sweet sachet which gave me extraordinary pleasure to find in the envelope. Wrote three letters, 'did' my rooms with mop and duster. At lunch met a bride who has been in Warsaw just two weeks. She says that at parties she has been to here she notices that things don't go with a swing till the cocktails have arrived. She doesn't take them. Says vodka is said to taste like quinine only sweet. She had spent a few days in Berlin on the way here and finds this does not compare, but thinks one finds a place what one makes it. Out with Miss Wrice to tea with two dear old ladies who live in a cottage in the Jewish quarter. So kind and friendly and hospitable, and such a tea! We went in 0 tram and saw much of the fine part of the city and I begin to realise how big a city Warsaw is. As we had to be home at 6, we took a taxi and we seemed to drive perilously as I have not got used to going on the right. After supper corrected a few exercises for Miss Keith and found delight in some of the sentences: 'The kitten is playing with a ball on the ceiling.' 'A canon is a saint man.' Then to Miss Keith's two classes, one at 7 and the next 8.15. Wished to help her with the reading part but was too stupid to offer. Friday 12th. Much colder. Some of the men in the streets were wearing little black cosies over their ears. I wished I had one for my nose! Some of the women in the market had straw overshoes. I wished I had a tape measure for it is marvellous how huge they make themselves with all their coats and shawls tied over their heads and ears. The police are very well turned out, in big long dark blue coats with black sheepskin collars. On point duty they have great big boots and use a white baton for directing the traffic. In the afternoon Miss Wrice and I had tea with the R's, where we met several other English people and one lady from Waterford. Just a we were leaving Madame M's stepson came in, and said he knew my name well, when introduced. Tea was poured out "behind the scenes" in Polish fashion. A nice little fair-haired girl, who speaks Polish better than her Mother, who sends her with messages to the maid to whom she translates them. To the English Club downstairs at 9. The members of the English classes got it up themselves. No speaker was provided so Dr. Prentki asked me to talk. I spoke about Ireland for 15 minutes or so. Sat 13. Went with Miss R. to play hymns at her children's meeting in another part of the town. About 30 were present and behaved extremely well for Jewish children I though. They sang lustily and many repeated texts in Yiddish with keenness. My part was rather feeble as the piano was very much out of tune to say the least of it. Came back by tram. The first time I have been out alone in Warsaw! Just in time for two girls who came for an hour's English. In the evening Miss R. came in for a short visit and prayer. Jan 14. Miss Keith has been commanded by her doctor to spend a week in bed so Miss Wrice and I to church together. Three members of the English classes to the service. I chatted with them a little bit afterwards. Also met Mrs. Rabin's sister who asked me to tea. Met Pearl who returned last night. Prepared for Miss Keith's class, which Miss Wrice and I took. Nine came and we read round Exodus 31 and 32 and a few verses from Deuteronomy 18. Tried to show how Moses was willing to offer himself for the Israelites and the Prophet (Deut. 18) to be like him. And how the Lord Jesus gave himself for us. Afterwards we sang many hymns and then Joseph came up to see Miss Keith who asked him if he would teach me Yiddish. Agreed to come on Tuesday. Had meant to write home but could not unless I had come away immediately after supper, but we sat talking of all sorts of things. The annual Swedish and Norwegian service was held in our church in the afternoon. Heard today that if a Pole wishes to leave the country he has to pay 1,000 zloty and even then perhaps not allowed to, unless for some reason such as illness. Monday 15th. A very thronged day. Very sleepy so got up late to begin with. Breakfast late so no time to make my bed before prayers. Then asked Miss Keith about the lessons for her class in the evening but did not take it in properly. Then stayed to answer the door for her while Miss Wrice had her massage. Corrected exercise and wrote to Rudolph for his name day. Then Mrs. Carpenter came and we arranged about terms. Then just lunch time so had to make my bed in great haste. Afterwards began to write to Mother when Mr. John came to call and I played him 'Danny Boy' on the harmonium. ['Rudolph' was Revd Rudolph Prentki, a 'Hebrew Christian' or what would now be called a Messianic Jew. He had been trained in Warsaw and then went to St. Aidan's theological college in Birkenhead for ordination training. When Martin Parsons arrived in 1935 he found it difficult to get close to Rudolph. He described him like this: "He was brilliant in a way, rather flashy, a ready speaker, but not at all liked by the other workers."] Then Miss Wrice arrived and we set out to find the Apteka where they sell mud packs. Back about 5. Read, finished Mother's letter and looked at lessons. Supper at 6. Did my hair and Miss Wrice conducted me down to the class. The first at 7, about eight I think. Not at all well prepared I regret to say. Eleven at the second class. Easier. Conversation at the end and I feel I lost an opportunity. Tuesday 16. It seems a long time since I wrote the above. Was very sleepy and was still in bed when my breakfast came. Letter from Mother and Mary Timmons. Joseph came at 11 to give me the first Yiddish lesson. We went through the alphabet. I said what about terms? He did not understand, so I said I thought he should charge me for them. He looked up 'charge' in his dictionary and found 'to charge as a horse.' Eventually he took it in and said, "But Miss Keith says you have come as an honourable worker and so I do not like to take anything from you." But I might give him some English teaching instead. A year or more ago he came first and heard Miss Keith speak, and came up to her most fiercely to ask if she really believed what she said. A red hot communist then, out to improve the world. His great difficulty is that "Christianity is against life." Out shopping for a short time in afternoon with Miss Wrice. Then Mrs. Slowikowski called for me and took me to tea with them and Mrs. Brigman. So kind. Large tea. Showed me kitchen with wonderful cupboards and dodges Mr S. had made. He only speaks a little English so his wife had to translate for him most of the time. She saw me home very kindly. I find it is very tiring speaking with people who are not really at home in one's language. Home about 8 and found Miss Keith and Miss Wrice at supper, as Mr. W. had only just left, Miss Keith having been helping him with his report. She was very tired and she is supposed to be resting. I suppose there are many who have been bored today from having nothing to do, but I think not many missionaries. Good-night. Wed 17th. To prayers and "workers' meeting" with Miss Wrice. Miss Keith's Junior class assigned to me, Mondays and Thursdays at 8 o'clock. Miss Wrice took me to the Bank Handlowy de Warsawa in Tragutta. Changed a travellers cheque and got 140 zlotys for five pounds. A very magnificent bank. Then shopped. After lunch I wrote for a while and then Miss Wrice and I went to the peasants' work depot and I bought a handkerchief sachet. It was started by the Friends but when their permission to stay in the country expired it was not renewed. We walked back down Marshalkowska, the finest Street in Warsaw. Saw the other large stores. Very nice things in the windows. In the evening I went down to the Polish meeting for Christians in the side chapel. Taken by Mr. Prentki. Nine altogether. I played the Polish hymn at first sight. They sang so well I accompanied rather than led which was a very good thing. Miss Wrice came up from her class very happy as they said they had never learnt so much as this evening. Hot tub. Jan 18. Worked at correcting exercises for my classes in the evening. Got very much interested in them. In the afternoon Miss Wrice took me for a nice walk along the Viaduct and over the bridge. A very fine highway. The Vistula was frozen. It is wide but looked to me shallow. Across the bridge we took a tram which went through Praga as the city across the river is called, and back across Praga Bridge and up past the President's Palace. We walked back from near there. The tram fare is always 25 groschen. While walking on the bridge we saw Sir George Erskine the British Ambassador walking in the opposite direction. At 7 I had the class that is to be mine. After that Miss Keith's senior class. There were 15 or 17 at it and though I did not speak of spiritual things except for teaching them the fourth commandment I felt happy and more assured that in time I would be enabled to do so. Jan 19. I expected to go to the Police to be registered in the morning, But Mr Weissman did not come so my morning was spent more or less waiting, thinking he was coming to take me there. He is the "Administrator" for the house and so has to see to such things as passports. Mrs. Shawoska came to call and to change books in the English Library. It is housed – or shelved – in a balcony running round two sides of the Reading Room. I walked a little way with her when she left and got home almost late for lunch to which Mrs. Williams came. In the afternoon Miss Wrice and I went out to see Mr and Mrs. Shouckevsky, who gave us tea and music. A very nice house. There were two white lilacs in pots with white paper frills covering up their stems and giving them a very bridal air. It was the 23rd anniversary of our host and hostess's wedding day. Mr S made fun of my intention of learning Yiddish. They have a big airedale called Bobby. We came home in a taxi. I expected my Yiddish teacher at 8 but he did not come. Soon after 9 Miss Wrice and I went down to the Club. There were more there than last week and it was ever so much better. Miss Rhode led off with a short talk about Philadelphia and said she loved that city more than any other because there she let the Lord Jesus Christ find her. Then Mr Prentki spoke a few words and referred to the Quakers and not fighting. Then a young member of the Club said as no one would tell a joke he would like to tell about a part of Poland where he had taken a walking tour. He told of a monastery built on the top of a hill called Holy Cross hill. It is now a ruin but a prison has been built there. It was interesting and he spoke quite fairly good English. Mr Prentki ... Here the journal ends.