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Experiences of the Great War

The Chisholm Papers

The National Library of Scotland holds five volumes of papers and photographs that belonged to Mairi Chisholm in a collection known as 'the Chisholm Papers' [National Library of Scotland reference: Acc.8006].

Photographs at NLS

The photographs are a particularly valuable source of information. They give a candid portrayal of the wartime experiences of both Mairi Chisholm and her friend Mrs Elizabeth ('Elsie') Knocker (later Baroness de T'Serclaes).

Many of the photographs are in marked contrast to the official photos of the period, which tend to avoid scenes that might challenge the 'official' account of the war and which in many cases may be posed.

View the Chisholm Papers inventory (PDF) (2 pages; 49 KB)

Diaries elsewhere

The diaries of Mairi Chisholm and the Baroness de T'Serclaes in the possession of the Imperial War Museum in London. The museum also holds recordings and transcripts of interviews with Mairi, including the interview recorded in June 1976, from which extracts are quoted in this website with the kind permission of the Imperial War Museum.


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