M. A. Irvine Papers

The M. A. Irvine Papers contain letters, memorabilia, scrapbooks, and photographs from Bryn Mawr College alumnae Mary Agnes Irvine, class of 1910. The majority of the material in the collection relates to Irvine’s time as a member of the Y.M.C.A. Canteen Service following World War One. The canteen service was charged with keeping up the morale of soldiers serving on the front both during and after the war. In addition to serving food and beverages, women in the canteen service were expected to entertain soldiers by attending parties, organizing activities, and otherwise providing a friendly face for those they worked with.

Irvine's letters reflect her work and time in Le Mans, France. The majority of her letters are to her family, including typescripts of some of her correspondence which appears to have been transcribed later in Irvine’s life. The majority of the correspondence in the collection was written by Irvine, but some material appears to have been written to her by soldiers after their return home.

The collection contains four scrapbooks documenting Irvine’s time overseas volunteering with the YMCA. The scrapbooks include letters, clippings, menus, photographs, and other memorabilia, most dating from 1918-1919. Irvine donated many of the photo negatives for images in the scrapbooks and a small collection of loose photographs and publications related to the Y.M.C.A.

This collection will be of interest to researchers interested in the role of civilian war work in the aftermath of WWI, and especially in women's role in this work.