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Series of correspondence relating to Nora Beloff. The majority of the correspondence (15 files) covers the period where Beloff worked for The Observer as Paris or Washington correspondent. This correspondence is written by Beloff herself and is mostly to her family who she refers to as 'Darlings' or more specifically to her parents. The first file of correspondence, 1941-1945, provides an insight into the start of her career as a journalist at Reuters in Paris. Letters from 1946-1947 cover a period when Beloff was working mostly freelance and indicate the unpredictable nature of journalists' contracts. From the end of 1947 the correspondence covers Beloff's work as Paris correspondent for The Observer but includes a period as Washington correspondent in 1949-1951. The files from 1959 and 1961 cover a more unstable period for Beloff in terms of location but she always remained a correspondent for The Observer and in 1961 spent a relatively brief time as their Washington correspondent again. These files of correspondence, as they are written to her family, provide not only an interesting insight into the nature of her relationships with her family but also an account of her feelings about her work, life style and acquaintances. Following these are two files of correspondence, which together cover 1953-1995, and are a mixture of correspondence written by and to Beloff. The character of the letters is more professional than the personal nature of the correspondence to her family. As such the letters give an impression of the style in which she worked and how she developed her contacts. The letters provide details of the later period of Beloff's life and the work she did including conferences, seminars, research and writing. The final file of correspondence is written by members of Beloff's family, mostly her brothers and sisters, to her parents. They provide a further perspective on relations between Beloff family members and there are several references to 'Nora' throughout.

Correspondence from Nora Beloff to her family. There is only one letter from 1941 which was written by Beloff to her mother from Washington where she appears to have been working for The Observer. The letters from 1944 run from September to December from Paris. It appears from the letters that Beloff began working at the British Embassy in Paris in December. In her earlier letters of 1944 from Paris she does refer to Reuters and it is possible she may have done some work for them before December 1944. The letters from December describe her arrival back in Paris for work at the British Embassy. Details are provided about work, living conditions and her social life. The letters from 1945 span across the year and provide a further insight to Beloff's life in Paris working for the British Embassy. Accounts of her social life and acquaintances provide details about the atmosphere in Paris at that time. From September of 1945 her letters express a desire to move into journalism and to work for Reuters. Her father seems to have expressed certain reservations about this move. By December of 1945 it is clear from the letters that Beloff had by then left the British Embassy and begun working as a journalist for Reuters but remained in Paris. The letters from December provide a detailed descriptions of her work and style of living as a journalist. At the end of this file are some letters without dates and also some letters which are incomplete.

Correspondence from Nora Beloff to her family. The letters span across the whole of 1946 beginning on 5 January and ending of 28 December. As well as containing references to family business the letters continue from those of 1945 to describe life as a journalist for Reuters in Paris. Topics discussed include pay, interviews, French politics, political figures and various political crises occurring in Paris at that time. Other subjects covered by Beloff include Paris fashion shows. Often included in the letters is a description of her daily routine at work. Apparent from the letters are long hours and the hectic nature of the work, particularly frantic are Beloff's description of working alone on Sundays. Often the letters include reassuring comments to her family that she is not exhausting herself. The letters also describe Beloff's busy social life in Paris and the crossover between social and work circles. She also refers to the use she makes as a journalist of the contacts she had from working at the British Embassy. From Beloff's letters of September 1945 it seems that by this point she has taken on work for the Manchester Guardian as well as her work for Reuters. Discussed in these letters are the possibility of full time employment at the Guardian in London as assistant diplomatic correspondent. It seems from the comments made in her letters that whilst she enjoys living in Paris she has some reservations about continuing to work for Reuters. In October as well as working for Reuters Beloff describes taking on the position of the Guardian's French correspondent for a month during the permanent correspondent's, Darsie Gillie's, holiday. A letter from 4 November describes Beloff's last day at Reuters and new employment possibilities including freelance work for the Guardian, the Glasgow Herald and the 'weeklies'. Also mentioned in the letters from November is the possibility of a contract to write a book about Paris which Beloff accepts at the end of the same month. During November and December Beloff continues to do some work for the Guardian, often working as Darsie Gillie's replacement when he is absent. She discusses her hopes that the Guardian will take her on permanently.
Included within the letters are what appear to be typescripts of articles, however, it is unclear whether these were published or were simply used as part of Beloff's correspondence with her family. Included at the end of the file are letters from 1946 but without a specific date.

Correspondence from Nora Beloff to her family covering January to November of 1948. The letters provide an account of Beloff's life as French correspondent for the Observer and her continued work for the Economist. In her letters she describes the working conditions of a Paris correspondent and in particular the practicalities of using the offices of the French newspaper 'Le Monde' as her base. Her letters from February include a detailed account of a working visit to Brussels. A letter from August makes a reference to writing a book about France for Hutchinson publishers. In Beloff's letters from November she discusses how her contract with The Observer will develop and the decision that she should take on the position of Washington correspondent. At the end of this file are some letters without dates and a letter which is incomplete.

Correspondence of Nora Beloff to her family covering January to December of 1948. The letters are written from Washington where Beloff was working as Washington correspondent to the Observer. The letters from January give details of her voyage to America and her arrival. They describe her first impressions of America and her working environment there. The letters from the following months continue to discuss both her living and working arrangements in Washington. Details of her social life and how her circle of acquaintances builds up as her time in Washington progresses are provided. The letters also contain details of Beloff's trips to New York which usually involved a mix of work and socialising. Two letters from May, dated the 14 and 30 give detailed descriptions of a trip made by Beloff to a number of cities including: Detroit, which involved visits to the Ford and Chrysler factories; Chicago; Milwaukee, Minneapolis; Des Moines and Kansas City. At the end of this file are some letters without dates and also some letters which are incomplete. Amongst the undated letters are some which discuss the trial of Alger Hiss and Beloff's role in covering it.

Correspondence from Nora Beloff to her family covering the January to December of 1950. The letters are written from Washington where Beloff was working as Washington correspondent to The Observer. The letters provide detailed accounts of her social life and working environment in the US. As well as various trips further a field details of her work in Washington centre around the White House, the office, the state department and the Senate. In some of her letters Beloff does comment on her position as a female correspondent. Another feature of the letters are concerns about heightening tensions between America and Russia and the possible nuclear threat. In letters from as early as February Beloff discusses the possibility of her moving back to Paris but remaining as an Observer correspondent. For April there is a large body of correspondence and not all of it from Beloff. This correspondence gives an account of an accident involving Beloff on 8 April where Beloff's car was involved in a collision with a taxi. She was injured but sustained no serious permanent damage. Included in the letters is correspondence from Beloff's friends explaining the incident and giving reassurance to Beloff's family. The final letters from April give details of her convalescence at friends in California. Interesting is Beloff's continued concern with her work at this time, she plans her departure from California back to Washington on the presidential train so it can be timed it with Harry Truman's visit to the East Coast. From October in her letters Beloff appears to be finalising her plans to leave Washington and take up the position of Paris correspondent for The Observer early in 1951. However, the correspondence from late November indicates that Beloff's plans were altered due to the threat of war between the US and China for which it was felt necessary to have an experienced Washington correspondent such as Beloff in place. The initial plans were, therefore, adapted, with Beloff expecting to remain in Washington until the summer of 1951 when she would then take up the position of Paris correspondent.

Correspondence of Nora Beloff to her family covering January to December of 1951 although there are few letters for the period January to April. The letters begin from America but the correspondence from March onwards is mostly from Paris indicating that at this point Beloff moved from being The Observer's Washington correspondent to their Paris correspondent. Letters from June give details of a trip around more remote areas of France during which Beloff covered local elections. Letters from September give details of a working trip to Luxembourg in which talks took place between France, Germany and Israel. Letters and postcards from October give details of a trip made by Beloff to Rome to visit her sister, Anne Beloff, and her husband, Sir Ernst Chain. A reference to some of Beloff's controversial journalism is made in one of the December letters when she appears to have criticised failures over British disarmament. Several references are made to Darsie Gillie, the Guardian's French correspondent, with whom Beloff had previously worked.

Correspondence of Nora Beloff to her family covering the period January to December of 1952. Most of the letters are written from Paris and are from the period when Beloff was Paris correspondent for The Observer. The letters from January give details of a visit to Paris by David Astor, Sebastian Haffner, and William Clark. Letters from early April give details of a visit made by Beloff to Algeria, including Algiers and Tangiers. A letter from the end of April is written from Tunis and included amongst the letters is a typescript of Beloff's impressions of Tunis. At the end of the file are letters which do not have specific dates. Also included within the file is an invitation for cocktails.

Correspondence of Nora Beloff to her family covering January to December of 1953. Most of the letters are from Paris and are from the period when Beloff was working as Paris correspondent for The Observer. The letters from January are written from Strasbourg from where Beloff was reporting on the sessions. Also included in the file are letters from Brussels. Correspondence from March and April include correspondence from Rome and Athens. Letters from the end of April from Paris provide a detailed description of Beloff's trip to and work in Greece. At the back of the file letters are included which do not have specific dates. Also included in the file is a letter from Beloff refusing an offer to write a book on France.