A small compilation of personal papers of Molly Jones predominantly relating to her time with the YMCA in Greece 1945-1946. Also including a retrospective account of Molly's experiences written by her daughter, A. Elizabeth Jones; copies of papers relating to the war-time service of Molly's brother, under the name P[eter] Blake, and a few photographs of Molly, family and friends taken before and after she went to Greece with the YMCA. The collection includes a combination of original material and later photocopies.
YMCA Unofficial Papers: Papers of Mary Kathleen ('Molly') Jones
Archive Collection
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- ReferenceGB 150 YMCA/ACC63
- Dates of Creation[early 1930s] - 2015
- Name of Creator
- Language of MaterialEnglish
- Physical Description2 files 1 item
Scope and Content
Administrative / Biographical History
Mary Kathleen Snoxell, known as 'Molly', was born in Luton, 4 October 1913. Her father of the Snoxell hat manufacturing family, did not support higher education for girls and so, aged 18 years, Molly entered secretarial college instead of joining her High School friends at university.
After a long engagement, Molly married David H. Jones, solicitor, in 1939. When shortly afterwards David joined the army, Molly travelled around the UK with him until he was sent to Malta in 1942. Her family did not wish her to join the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) 'because the girls were deemed to be "too rough"', but she volunteered for firewatching duty on the roof of Luton Hoo, Bedfordshire, a country house which served as the headquarters of the British Army's Eastern Command during the War. In 1945, Molly went overseas for the first time, travelling to Greece via Italy with the YMCA; by doing so she was able to spend time with her husband, David, who was also in Greece and understood to have been serving as a 'claims assessor' with HQ Land Forces. Molly and David returned to England together in 1946, travelling by train through Italy with David in the position of O(fficer) C(ommanding) Train.
Her younger brother, Peter, is understood to have deserted during the War as he did not wish to go to West Africa. After re-joining under the name, 'Blake', he undertook flight training in Saskatchewan, Canada, under the British Comonwealth Air Training Plan. He graduated from Elementary Flying Training School number 33, Caron, Saskathchewan in October 1942 and served as a pilot instructor.
Molly died 9 June 1984.
Source: information supplied by the donor; the records; Encyclopedia of Saskathcewan, available online at http://esask.uregina.ca/entry/royal_air_force.html (accessed 9 March 2015)
Arrangement
Arranged as a single series of Family Papers.
Access Information
Open, access to all registered researchers.
Acquisition Information
Presented by the daughter of Molly Jones, February 2015.
Other Finding Aids
Please see full catalogue for more information.
Archivist's Note
Papers arranged and described by I. Frlan, March 2015, in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997; and in-house cataloguing guidelines.
Conditions Governing Use
Permission to make any published use of any material from the collection must be sought in advance in writing from the Director, Cadbury Research Library: Special Collections (email: special-collections@contacts.bham.ac.uk). Identification of copyright holders of unpublished material is often difficult. The Cadbury Research Library: Special Collections will assist where possible with identifying copyright owners, but responsibility for ensuring copyright clearance rests with the user of the material.
Custodial History
The majority of the original material in the collection passed directly to the daughter of Molly Jones. The correspondence from which the donor made copies for the archive passed to the donor on the death of Molly's bother, 'Pete'.