Serie 2 - Correspondence

18 files (Boxes 4 and 5)

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.

Chronological