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Pethick-Lawrence greatly enjoyed the function (the unveiling of a plaque to Elizabeth Robins). Encloses a report of it from the Manchester Guardian.

Backsettown Farmstead, Henfield, Sussex.—Thanks him for his speech (at 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.

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).’

Backsettown Farmstead, Henfield, Sussex.—Discusses travel arrangements (in connection with the unveiling of a plaque to Elizabeth Robins).

Backsettown Farmstead, Henfield, Sussex.—Discusses arrangements (in connection with the unveiling of a plaque to Elizabeth Robins; see 3/300). Leonard Woolf is coming.

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.

Backsettown Farmstead, Henfield, Sussex.—Thanks him for accepting her invitation (to attend the unveiling of a plaque to Elizabeth Robins), and discusses possible dates. She hopes Mollie Trevelyan and Sybil Thorndike will come.

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.

24 Montpelier Crescent, Brighton, Sussex.—Invites him and Lady Pethick-Lawrence to visit her at the Cadogan Hotel during her stay in London.

(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.

24 Montpelier Crescent, Brighton.—Thanks her for her help (in obtaining a British visa for Elizabeth Robins). Miss Robins has now arrived in England.

Apologises for any confusion that may have been caused by her letter (see 3/296).

Sends her a copy of the reply received by Pethick-Lawrence from the Foreign Office about Elizabeth Robins’s visa (3/161).

Foreign Office.—Elizabeth Robins has now been promised an entry visa.

Pethick-Lawrence has written to Mabane (see 3/159), asking him to give sympathetic consideration to Elizabeth Robins’s desire to return to Britain.

Asks him to give sympathetic attention to Elizabeth Robins’s application for a British visa.

24 Montpelier Crescent, Brighton, Sussex.—Urges him to help Elizabeth Robins obtain a British visa (see 3/294).

Will try to think of a way of helping Elizabeth Robins (see 3/283), but is very busy.

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 1.—Thanks him for his efforts to help Elizabeth Robins return to Britain.

Whitehall, London, S.W.1.—Explains why he has rejected Elizabeth Robins’s application to return to England.

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.

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’.

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.).