| Administrative History | In 1936 Mary Esslemont was one of a small medical party to travel into Russia. She attended the Seventh Congress of the International Federation of University Women in Cracow, 27 - 31 August, and afterwards appears to have proceeded to Moscow with a few of her fellow delegates, spending a day in Warsaw en-route. The Russian trip appears to have been intended as a forum to meet other health professionals and to gain an insight into the Russian health service, but it also included opportunities for socialising, including trips to the theatre and opera. After spending some six days in Moscow, the group travelled to Kharkov and Kiev, spending a few days in each city, before returning to Britain via Warsaw and Berlin on 16 September. |
| Description | Notes on the Seventh Congress of the International Federation of University Women, Cracow, 27 - 31 August 1936, and on places visited in Russia (chiefly medical, welfare and educational institutions, including collective farm, home for homeless boys, factory welfare scheme, housing association, etc.), August - September 1936. Also letters from Mary Esslemont to her mother and other family members, 29 August - 8 September 1936, describing the trip.
In her letter of 31 August she reveals that for a short time the Russia trip was in jeopardy: "We have had a bit of an upset about our Russian tour. Miss Bowie, our 'leader' had to leave suddenly on Friday for Italy where her brother and sister have had a serious car accident. All our tickets are in her name and will Russia allow us in without her ?! We telephoned London and some of the party have taken cold feet about the whole thing. But we are all going to Warsaw together tomorrow and we shall get written instructions from London there tomorrow. The political situation is also a little involved, so don't be surprised if you hear I have had to change my plans." |