24 Montpelier Crescent, Brighton 1.—Thanks him for his efforts to help Elizabeth Robins return to Britain.
Discusses travel arrangements (in connection with the unveiling of a plaque to Elizabeth Robins; see 3/289). Will invite Helen when she returns from Montreal.
Discusses travel arrangements (in connection with the unveiling of a plaque to Elizabeth Robins; see 3/291). Helen cannot come, as she is going to California to see her son. ‘She says you knew a friend of hers—Mrs Gretel Kettle (née Pain).’
Pethick-Lawrence greatly enjoyed the function (the unveiling of a plaque to Elizabeth Robins). Encloses a report of it from the Manchester Guardian.
Backset Town House, Henfield, Sussex.—Postpones a lunch engagement.
Ladies’ Athenaeum Club, 31 & 32 Dover Street, W.—Her departure for Florida has been postponed because she is unwell.
24 Montpelier Crescent, Brighton.—Invites her and Mr Lawrence to lunch.
24 Montpelier Crescent, Brighton 1.—Thanks her for her helpful letter. She will know the date of her arrival at Braunwald within the next twenty-four hours. Is looking forward to her first flight.
Whitehall, London, S.W.1.—Explains why he has rejected Elizabeth Robins’s application to return to England.
Ministry of Information.—The proposal that Elizabeth Robins should be brought to England to speak and broadcast on Anglo-American understanding has been rejected on the grounds that she is ‘rather old for as full a programme of meetings as would justify an Atlantic passage at this time’.
Asks him to give sympathetic attention to Elizabeth Robins’s application for a British visa.
24 Montpelier Crescent, Brighton 1.—Has not yet received a copy of the book. ‘I hope I shall get it soon as I am a slow reader and eyes not as serviceable as hitherto.’
‘Please do not trouble about my book if it is bad for your eyesight to read.’
24 Montpelier Crescent, Brighton 1.—Discusses the measures taken to obtain a visa for Marie Jenny-Streiff.
24 Montpelier Crescent, Brighton 1.—Their last letter came when she was unwell. Is about to travel to New York, Pittsburgh, and Florida. Dr Martindale is flying to America at the same time.
Is still investigating her inquiry as to whether Gladstone made a certain remark about agricultural labourers.
Mrs Lawrence has cabled the results of the suffrage referenda in the United States (see 8/14), which contradict the reports in the English papers. Gives details of Mrs Lawrence’s itinerary.
Home Office.—Marie Jenny-Streiff (see 3/152) should apply in the first instance to the British Passport Control Officer for Brussels.
(Signed as Private Secretary.)
24 Montpelier Crescent, Brighton 1.—Elizabeth Robins has advised that she would consider naturalisation, if considered ‘usable’ for speaking or writing (cf. 3/155, etc.).
24 Montpelier Crescent, Brighton 1.—Acknowledges that Miss Robins would be unable to undertake a full programme of meetings for the Ministry of Information. Suggests that the US Government might be persuaded to help.
24 Montpelier Crescent, Brighton, Sussex.—Encloses copies of the notes she gave to Lord Cecil, whom Elizabeth Robins had named as a referee in her application for an British visa, and asks for help in expediting the business.
24 Montpelier Crescent, Brighton, Sussex.—Urges him to help Elizabeth Robins obtain a British visa (see 3/294).
Backsettown Farmstead, Henfield, Sussex.—Discusses travel arrangements (in connection with the unveiling of a plaque to Elizabeth Robins).
Backsettown Farmstead, Henfield, Sussex.—Discusses travel arrangements (in connection with the unveiling of a plaque to Elizabeth Robins; see 3/301). Refers to their mutual acquaintance, Mrs Kettle.
Is pleased to hear of her arrival at Braunwald (see 3/141).
Mrs Pethick-Lawrence advises that, if the Home Office give permission for Marie Jenny-Streiff to visit Elizabeth Robins in England, it will still be necessary for her to obtain a British exit visa (see 3/142).
(One phrase has been added by hand.)
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Transcript
Miss Elizabeth Robins (Mrs. Elizabeth Robins Parks)
1. has lived in England for the last 50 years. Left in August 1940 because of urgent message from her brother, Colonel Raymond Robins, who was dangerously ill. Has tried at intervals to return but advised by her American as well as English friends to wait till transport conditions seemed less dangerous or rather—as she is completely fearless—till war needs allowed her to return. Tho’ American born was so anxious to return that suggested English naturalization if necessary, in 1943. {1}
2. Is a property owner—house and land at Henfield, Sussex. This is and has been for several years past used as a place of rest and recuperation for all classes of workers, and is always greatly in demand. The Committee, of which she is a most important member—are overwhelmed with applications for rest and are most anxious to take steps about extension, but as the house is an old Elizabethan structure it is impracticable to consider this without her presence on the spot as regards advice and guidance as well as sanction.
As regards land, part of the fields is let to a farmer who is not making adequate use of the land from the point of view of food production. War Agricultural Executive Committee official said when approached that it was her job as landlord to get on to the tenant’s track.
3. Has nearly finished the 2nd volume of her memoirs but needs access to papers and records to finish it. These are of course here.
4. As she is now over 80, her time is not so long for the settling and disposal of her affairs, and she is most anxious to return to see about certain schemes she is anxious to put in motion as regards furthering and in a modest way helping good Anglo American relationship and its necessity as regards the future Peace of the World.
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{1} ‘Tho’ American … in 1943’ added by hand.