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Page 184 from Ethel Moir Diary, Vol 1

Moir, Ethel, 1916, Document
Page 184 from Ethel Moir Diary, Vol 1
Page 184 from Ethel Moir Diary, Vol 1
Page 184 from Ethel Moir Diary, Vol 1
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Library Item
Item no
25212
Title
Page 184 from Ethel Moir Diary, Vol 1
Description
19th Jan 1917 Petrograd "Regina Hotel".
We arrived here at 9.30 this morning, very thankful indeed to get off the train. We had a very uncomfie journey up from Odessa. The compartment was over-packed, 35 refugees & 8 of us. We got no peace day or night; there were crowds of children, who were never still nor quiet. At night the squash was terrible, we sat & lay on top of each other & the refugées [refugees] were a funny crowd! The carriage was filthy, the floor littered with sunflower seeds & the paper wrappings of cheap sweets & we had a horrid conductor who sat in our carriage day & night, smoked cheap cigarettes & spat on the floor! He refused to let in a breath of air - the windows were nailed shut - even the outside door was not allowed to be opened for one second. The result was a most terrible "fug" - the air came in in hot stale
gusts down the corridor, met the yet closer air of the carriage, battled with it & retired defeated! Of course there were no
sanitary arrangements to speak of, so we never washed.
We had brought some food with us, but we missed "drink". Yes, 3 days in that train & atmosphere about did for us. Outside it was a white world & just bitterly, fearsomely cold.
Artist / maker
Date
1916
Size
20.4 x 16.0 cm
Type
Location
Edinburgh and Scottish Collection