Dossier 2 - Correspondence: 1946, Paris

1 file (Box 4)

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.

Chronological