In the return address of the letter, did she write "Nr" in front of Kings Langley? If so, does that mean near?
Also in the return address of the letter, does “c/o” in front of Pine Cottage mean to take care of?
What high school ring is Christine referring to of Margaret's? Also, why did John have Margaret's high school ring?
Did John have any intentions of telling Margaret that he got married before Christine wrote this letter?
What was Margaret's reaction to this letter? Did she ever write back to Christine?
Citations:
Britannica Dictionary. “c/o Definition & Meaning.” Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. Accessed March 31, 2023. https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/c%2Fo.
Cambridge Dictionary. “NR.” Cambridge Dictionary. Accessed March 31, 2023. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/nr.
“She May Look Clean – But: Pick-Ups, 'Good Time' Girls, Prostitutes: Spread Syphilis and Gonorrhea: You can’t beat the Axis if you get VD”
This poster highlights the potential threat of venereal diseases (VD) for soldiers during World War II. In the case of Margaret Payne, John Dolin, and now Christine Dolin, this poster could be used as a reference to John suddenly marrying another woman overseas. Syphilis and Gonorrhea were two of the worst venereal diseases during the war, therefore, most posters regarding VD focused on those two. In posters like these, women were depicted as being attractive and inviting to lure men into contracting VD and ultimately losing the war.
Citations:
Kaiser Permanente. “Sexually Transmitted Diseases in the World War II Shipyards.” Kaiser Permanente. Kaiser Permanente, April 26, 2017. https://about.kaiserpermanente.org/who-we-are/our-history/sexually-transmitted-diseases-in-the-world-war-ii-shipyards.
Venereal Disease Visual History Archive. "The Campaign to 'Stamp Out' VD: Pick-ups & Prostitutes." Venereal Disease Visual History Archive, 2015. Accessed April 7, 2023. https://vdarchive.newmedialab.cuny.edu/exhibits/show/exhibits/introduction/pickups---prostitutes.
1940. “She May Look Clean – But: Pick-Ups, 'Good Time' Girls, Prostitutes: Spread Syphilis and Gonorrhea: You can’t beat the Axis if you get VD.” University of Minnesota Libraries, Social Welfare History Archives., Accessed March 31, 2023. https://umedia.lib.umn.edu/item/p16022coll223:8
A Venereal Disease Rapid Treatment Center (USPHS, 1944)
This short film, produced by the U.S. Public Health Service and U.S. Department of Agriculture, shows women at what was once a Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp that had been turned into a venereal disease treatment center for women. It also shows girls at a small county jail that some were being housed at, girls receiving physical exams and vaccines, girls being interviewed about who they had sexual contact with, and other forms of treatments and therapies. The women who stayed at these facilities were allowed to work for money; however, they were paid after they left the center. The film goes on to show many other activities they were allowed to take part in.
Citations:
History.com Editors. “Civilian Conservation Corps.” History.com. A&E Television Networks, May 10, 2010. https://www.history.com/topics/great-depression/civilian-conservation-corps.
National Library of Medicine. “A Venereal Disease Rapid Treatment Center (USPHS, 1944).” YouTube. YouTube, January 25, 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1o3zJpdASTI.
The following object description information includes basic elements from the Dublin Core Metadata Initiative (DCMI). An additional notes field is included to list dates from the actual letter, envelope postmark locations, and any other identifying details.
“Jilt in the Mail Gets Yank Down: ‘Dear John’ Letters Are Not Ones He Wants.”
This newspaper article from the Chicago Daily Tribune briefly explains what a “Dear John” letter consists of. It also tells the story of a man who received one of these letters.
Citation: Whitman, Howard. "JILT IN THE MAIL GETS YANK DOWN: 'Dear John' Letters Are Not Ones He Wants." Chicago Daily Tribune (1923-1963), May 31, 1944. https://www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/jilt-mail-gets-yank-down/docview/176888858/se-2.
“Service Men’s Department”
This newspaper article from The Philadelphia Inquirer discusses army transportation and has an informational section regarding soldiers overseas. This section covers possible questions and their respective answers. The topics include social security, a U.S. soldier marrying a German girl, wives joining their husbands, allowances and allotments, and what to do with checks that are over a year old.
Citation: The Philadelphia Inquirer. “Service Men's Department.” Newspapers.com, August 20, 1945. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121064495/service-mens-department/.
“Meeting Britain’s Demand: Women’s Land Army”
This stamp is one of many in the Royal Mail’s stamp collection “Unsung Heroes: Women of World War II.” This stamp in particular is a photograph of two women in Britain’s Women’s Land Army (WLA) sawing snow-covered trees. These women were often called “land girls” and were eventually conscripted into the WLA. This link explains in depth who the Women's Land Army were and all of their contributions to the war effort in Great Britain.
Citations:
Hartwig, David. “Royal Mail Commemorates Contributions of Women During WWII in May 5 Issue.” Linns Stamp News, April 29, 2022. https://www.linns.com/news/world-stamps-postal-history/royal-mail-commemorates-contributions-of-women-during-wwii-in-may-5-issue.
Imperial War Museums. “What was the Women's Land Army?” Imperial War Museums. Accessed April 6, 2023. https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/what-was-the-womens-land-army
Royal Mail. “Unsung Heroes - Women of WWII.” Special Stamp Issues, May 5, 2022. https://shop.royalmail.com/special-stamp-issues/unsung-heroes-women-of-wwii.
Hartwig, D. (2022, April 29). Royal Mail commemorates contributions of women during WWII in May 5 issue. Linns Stamp News. https://www.linns.com/news/world-stamps-postal-history/royal-mail-commemorates-contributions-of-women-during-wwii-in-may-5-issue.
Land Girls: Their Past Your Future
This video features students from the Cardinal Newman Catholic School interviewing former land girls. These women discuss what led to their decisions to become land girls, their adjustments to life in the countryside, and how they combated the dangerous work on the land. One of the former land girls, Ivy, recalled seeing an advertisement that stated if she joined the Land Army she could receive a "free holiday," which ultimately led her to join the organization. Ivy also discussed how the Germans would bomb the farm she worked on near Coventry, England.
Citations:
Cardinal Newman Catholic School. “Cardinal Newman Catholic School.” CNCS, December 26, 1969. https://www.cncs.co.uk/.
Royal Pavilion Museums Trust. “Land Girls: Their Past Your Future.” YouTube. YouTube, October 16, 2014. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eo9RWJGTYA8.
“More Jobs - More Girls”
This newspaper article from The Western Times, based in England, urges women to apply to the Women's Land Army. The article details that the demand is so high that they are willing to take untrained workers anywhere between the ages of 17 and 35.
Citation: The Western Times. “More Jobs - More Girls.” Newspapers.com, December 22, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121420310/more-jobs-more-girls/
“County Needs Land Girls”
This short article from the Cheltenham Chronicle and Gloucestershire Graphic details the need for more recruits for the Women's Land Army in Gloucestershire. It adds that the Land Army is only allowed to recruit possible candidates through the Employment Exchange
Citation: Cheltenham Chronicle and Gloucestershire Graphic. “County Needs Land Girls.” Newspapers.com, December 30, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121882618/county-needs-land-girls/