Borrow it
Coverart for item
The Resource An English governess in the Great War : the secret Brussels diary of Mary Thorp, Sophie De Schaepdrijver and Tammy M. Proctor

An English governess in the Great War : the secret Brussels diary of Mary Thorp, Sophie De Schaepdrijver and Tammy M. Proctor

Creator
Author
Editor
Contributor
Summary
  • "Mary Thorp, an English governess working for a Belgian-Russian family in German-occupied Brussels, kept a secret war diary from September 1916 to January 1919. This long-forgotten diary sheds light on an important aspect of the First World War: civilian life under military occupation in a transnational conflict"--
  • "An Englishwoman of no particular fame living in World War I Brussels started a secret diary in September 1916. Aware that her thoughts could put her in danger with German authorities, she never wrote her name on the diary and ran to hide it every time the 'Boches' came to inspect the house. The diary survived the war and ended up in a Belgian archive, forgotten for nearly a century until historians Sophie De Schaepdrijver and Tammy M. Proctor discovered it and the remarkable woman who wrote it: Mary Thorp, a middle-aged English governess working for a wealthy Belgian-Russian family in Brussels. As a foreigner and a woman, Mary Thorp offers a unique window into life under German occupation in Brussels (the largest occupied city of World War I) and in the uncertain early days of the peace. Her diary describes the roar of cannons in the middle of the night, queues for food and supplies in the shops, her work for a wartime charity, news from an interned godson in Germany, along with elegant dinners with powerful diplomats and the educational progress of her beloved charges. Mary Thorp's sharp and bittersweet reflections testify to the daily strains of living under enemy occupation, comment on the events of the war as they unfolded, and ultimately serve up a personal story of self-reliance and endurance. De Schaepdrijver and Proctor's in-depth commentary situate this extraordinary woman in her complex political, social, and cultural context, thus providing an unusual chance to engage with the Great War on an intimate and personal level "--
Language
eng
Work
Publication
Extent
280 pages
Contents
  • Introduction: "Still I Feel I Did My Duty" : Diary of an English Governess, 1916-1919
  • Historical Background: Life in an Occupied City : Brussels
  • Framing the Diary : A Note from the Editors-- Mary Thorp's Diary
  • -Part 1. No "Eleventh Hour" : September 1916-February 1917
  • -Part 2: "Qui Vivra Verra" : March-December 1917
  • -Part 3: "We Still Hear the Same Eternal Cannon" : January-October 1918
  • -Part 4. "The Book of Peace!!!" : October 1918-January 1919
  • Epilogue: "Quite Nice to Be Remembered"
  • Appendix: Thorp Family Tree
Isbn
9780190276706
Instance
Label
An English governess in the Great War : the secret Brussels diary of Mary Thorp
Title
An English governess in the Great War
Title remainder
the secret Brussels diary of Mary Thorp
Statement of responsibility
Sophie De Schaepdrijver and Tammy M. Proctor
Creator
Contributor
Author
Editor
Subject
Genre
Language
eng
Summary
  • "Mary Thorp, an English governess working for a Belgian-Russian family in German-occupied Brussels, kept a secret war diary from September 1916 to January 1919. This long-forgotten diary sheds light on an important aspect of the First World War: civilian life under military occupation in a transnational conflict"--
  • "An Englishwoman of no particular fame living in World War I Brussels started a secret diary in September 1916. Aware that her thoughts could put her in danger with German authorities, she never wrote her name on the diary and ran to hide it every time the 'Boches' came to inspect the house. The diary survived the war and ended up in a Belgian archive, forgotten for nearly a century until historians Sophie De Schaepdrijver and Tammy M. Proctor discovered it and the remarkable woman who wrote it: Mary Thorp, a middle-aged English governess working for a wealthy Belgian-Russian family in Brussels. As a foreigner and a woman, Mary Thorp offers a unique window into life under German occupation in Brussels (the largest occupied city of World War I) and in the uncertain early days of the peace. Her diary describes the roar of cannons in the middle of the night, queues for food and supplies in the shops, her work for a wartime charity, news from an interned godson in Germany, along with elegant dinners with powerful diplomats and the educational progress of her beloved charges. Mary Thorp's sharp and bittersweet reflections testify to the daily strains of living under enemy occupation, comment on the events of the war as they unfolded, and ultimately serve up a personal story of self-reliance and endurance. De Schaepdrijver and Proctor's in-depth commentary situate this extraordinary woman in her complex political, social, and cultural context, thus providing an unusual chance to engage with the Great War on an intimate and personal level "--
Assigning source
  • Provided by publisher
  • Provided by publisher
Biography type
individual biography
Cataloging source
DLC
http://library.link/vocab/creatorDate
1864-1945
http://library.link/vocab/creatorName
Thorp, Mary
Dewey number
  • 940.3493/32092
  • B
Illustrations
  • illustrations
  • maps
Index
index present
LC call number
D640
LC item number
.T57 2017
Literary form
non fiction
Nature of contents
bibliography
http://library.link/vocab/relatedWorkOrContributorDate
1968-
http://library.link/vocab/relatedWorkOrContributorName
  • Schaepdrijver, Sophie de
  • Proctor, Tammy M.
http://library.link/vocab/subjectName
  • Thorp, Mary
  • World War, 1914-1918
  • English
  • Governesses
  • World War, 1914-1918
  • Civilians in war
  • History
  • Brussels (Belgium)
Label
An English governess in the Great War : the secret Brussels diary of Mary Thorp, Sophie De Schaepdrijver and Tammy M. Proctor
Instantiates
Publication
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references (pages 263-268) and index
Carrier category
volume
Carrier category code
  • nc
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
text
Content type code
  • txt
Content type MARC source
rdacontent
Contents
Introduction: "Still I Feel I Did My Duty" : Diary of an English Governess, 1916-1919 -- Historical Background: Life in an Occupied City : Brussels -- Framing the Diary : A Note from the Editors-- Mary Thorp's Diary -- -Part 1. No "Eleventh Hour" : September 1916-February 1917 -- -Part 2: "Qui Vivra Verra" : March-December 1917 -- -Part 3: "We Still Hear the Same Eternal Cannon" : January-October 1918 -- -Part 4. "The Book of Peace!!!" : October 1918-January 1919 -- Epilogue: "Quite Nice to Be Remembered" -- Appendix: Thorp Family Tree
Control code
sky284000416
Dimensions
24 cm
Extent
280 pages
Isbn
9780190276706
Isbn Type
(hardback)
Lccn
2016045081
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Media type code
  • n
Note
nj 08/17
Other physical details
illustrations, maps
Label
An English governess in the Great War : the secret Brussels diary of Mary Thorp, Sophie De Schaepdrijver and Tammy M. Proctor
Publication
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references (pages 263-268) and index
Carrier category
volume
Carrier category code
  • nc
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
text
Content type code
  • txt
Content type MARC source
rdacontent
Contents
Introduction: "Still I Feel I Did My Duty" : Diary of an English Governess, 1916-1919 -- Historical Background: Life in an Occupied City : Brussels -- Framing the Diary : A Note from the Editors-- Mary Thorp's Diary -- -Part 1. No "Eleventh Hour" : September 1916-February 1917 -- -Part 2: "Qui Vivra Verra" : March-December 1917 -- -Part 3: "We Still Hear the Same Eternal Cannon" : January-October 1918 -- -Part 4. "The Book of Peace!!!" : October 1918-January 1919 -- Epilogue: "Quite Nice to Be Remembered" -- Appendix: Thorp Family Tree
Control code
sky284000416
Dimensions
24 cm
Extent
280 pages
Isbn
9780190276706
Isbn Type
(hardback)
Lccn
2016045081
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Media type code
  • n
Note
nj 08/17
Other physical details
illustrations, maps

Subject

Genre

Library Locations

    • KDL East Grand Rapids BranchBorrow it
      746 Lakeside Dr. SE, East Grand Rapids, MI, 49506, US
      42.9494868 -85.6117855
    • KDL Plainfield Twp. BranchBorrow it
      2650 5 Mile Rd. NE, Grand Rapids, MI, 49525, US
      43.0422594 -85.6034463

Library Links

Structured data from the Bibframe namespace is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Kent District Library. Additional terms may apply to data associated with third party namespaces.
Processing Feedback ...