KP/AK/2/DRU/1 - Letter, Flora Drummond to Annie Kenney, 29/7/1944

KP/AK/2/DRU/1

Item

Letter, Flora Drummond to Annie Kenney, 29/7/1944

29/7/1944

1 Letters (MS)

Drummond, Flora McKinnon, 1878-1949
Kenney, Annie, 1879-1953recipient

Flora Drummond writes back to Annie, who had sent her condolences on the death of her husband. Flora recounts her husband’s death during a WWII air raid and tells Annie that “he had a military funeral with the Union Jack covering his coffin.” She also shares her own health concerns as well as information about other family members known to Annie. She mentions the work of her Guild [The Women’s Guild of Empire], which espoused right-wing but anti-fascist ideas. The letter ends with a touching goodbye, a testament to their life-long friendship: “Give my love to Jessie + accept my love. Thanks for your letter I could read in it your sincere affection for an old colleague.”

Transcript provided by Jules Robbins:

Duncrannaig [?], Opposite Pirnmill [arrow pointing], Carradale, Argyllshire

29th July 1944

My dear Annie

How nice of you to write after all these years.

Yes, it was a terrible blow to lose one’s husband (and pal) and home at the same time. We have been married 20 years on 18th Oct next.

He persuaded me to come up to Glasgow to see a specialist re my stomach just a few days before. We have both been voluntary wardens in Central London Tubes for nearly four years and I fear the movement, flat and night work took too much out of me.

[Page 2] There was a direct hit and he was caught on the stairs coming down. He did [note: missing word ‘such’] a lot of work locally that he had a military funeral with the Union Jack covering his coffin.

Having consulted 2 doctors I came here to cousins last Thursday and will stay north till I get well again.

You know we had a house (Hazelbank) at Lochranza [Isle of Arran] for 20 years but gave it up when mother died 4 yrs ago at the age of 94.

Keir married a maiden of Kent and they are both working at a Torpedo [works] on Loch Long. She loves Scotland and they have a 200 year old cottage near Arrochar. She is a fine girl.

We are certainly living [Page 3] in queer times and the unmentionable work the Guild has been doing one would have thought impossible. We are just working in confidential circles like last time and I have had some wonderful letters from “high heid yins” [note: Scottish dialect for ‘management’]. Adam was very popular and I have had 20 years of happiness and comfort which can still continue.

Your boy will be man [big] and you did not say whether he was in the services.

I had a long letter from Grace Roe 1st week July. We are always in touch and she sees Amy who is well and busy.

Yes we had lovely days at Pirnmill but Uncle Charlie passed on 7 yrs ago and his grand daughter was married [Page 4] a fortnight ago I have always kept in touch with them.

I hear from London today that we are nearing the end of the war, but it is going to take every ounce of strength to master the Robots.

Give my love to Jessie and accept my love. Thanks for your letter I could read in it your sincere affection for an old colleague.

I am here till 15th then go to Glasgow and on to Pirnmill I have two refugee girls with me.

Yours affectionately

General

A digital copy may be viewed at Suffragette Stories: https://suffragettestories.omeka.net/items/show/54