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Textual folder
Kennedy Family Collection
KFC-072-001
This diary, kept by Edward M. "Ted" Kennedy as a 6- and 7-year old child, contains handwritten entries detailing his daily activities from January 1, 1939, through September 9, 1939, while residing at 14 Prince’s Gate in London, England, where the Kennedy family lived during Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr.’s tenure as United States Ambassador to Great Britain. The gold stamped title on the cover reads, “Diary / No. 28 / 1939.” Pages contain pre-printed ruling and text, including entry dates, as well as manuscript entries written in black ink. Most entries were not written by Ted, but most likely by Kennedy family nurse, Luella Hennessey, with Ted dictating. Ted’s handwriting appears in entries from July 11, 12, 16, 17, and 18. Entries cover a variety of topics, including Ted’s education at the Gibbs School and St. Thomas More School, both in London; various train and boat rides during the family’s travels; social events, including a party attended by the British royal family at which Ted danced with Princess Elizabeth; outings to parks, zoos, movies, and pantomime performances; and playtime and sports activities with family and friends. Specific events and experiences that Ted mentions include a family trip to St. Moritz, Switzerland; Adolf Hitler’s Reichstag speech; the death of Pope Pius XI; Ted’s seventh birthday, for which he received a new dog, named “Sammy”; the family’s trip to Rome in Italy, as well as the Vatican, during which he received his First Holy Communion from Pope Pius XII; bombings of London by the Irish Republican Army; a visit to the estate of family friend, Sir James Calder, in Norfolk, England; a family trip to Cannes and Antibes in France; events leading up to Great Britain’s declaration of war on Germany, including the relocation of members of the Kennedy family to financier John Pierpont Morgan, Jr.'s country estate in Hertfordshire, England, while awaiting transport back to America; and the sinking of the S.S. Athenia. Luella Hennessey and the Kennedy children's governess, Elizabeth Dunn, also feature prominently throughout the diary. About half of the pages for July and August do not contain entries. The last entry of the diary is September 9, 1939; the remaining pages dated through December 31, 1939, are blank. The diary also contains three loose photographs, one loose newspaper clipping, and one loose printed birthday invitation.
Textual folder
Kennedy Family Collection
KFC-068-001
This photograph album, compiled by Kathleen “Kick” Kennedy, documents various moments in the lives of the Kennedy family between 1922 and 1944, with most materials dating between 1931 and 1944. The gold stamped title on the cover reads, “Photographs.” Photographs capture Kathleen with family and friends at the Kennedy family’s residences in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts; Bronxville, New York; and Palm Beach, Florida. Other photographs capture family members and friends in Plymouth, Massachusetts; at the American Embassy in London, England; aboard an ocean liner traveling from England to the United States; and at various other locations. In addition to Kathleen, those pictured include her parents, Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr., and Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy; her grandparents, John F. “Honey Fitz” Fitzgerald and Mary Josephine Hannon Fitzgerald; her siblings, Joseph P. “Joe” Kennedy, Jr., John F. "Jack" Kennedy, Rosemary Kennedy, Eunice Kennedy, Patricia “Pat” Kennedy, Robert F. “Bobby/Bob” Kennedy, Jean Kennedy, and Edward M. “Ted” Kennedy; her aunt, Agnes Fitzgerald Gargan, and uncle, Joseph Francis Gargan, Sr.; her cousins, John F. “Jackie” Fitzgerald, Marion Eunice Fitzgerald, Mary Jo Gargan, Joseph Francis “Joey” Gargan, Jr., and Ann Gargan; nanny to the Kennedy children, Katherine “Kicko/Kiko” Conboy; governesses to the Kennedy children, Alice Cahill and Elizabeth Dunn; nurse to the Kennedy children, Luella Hennessey; and Kennedy family friends, Edward E. Moore, Sally Bottomley, Anne McDonnell, Mary Frances "Sancy" Falvey, Grover Loening, Tom Killefer, Kirk LeMoyne “Lem” Billings, Max O’Rell Truitt, Paul Jerome "Boogie" Chase, Harriet “Etsie” Wells, David L. “Dave” Hackett, and Michael J. “Mike” Egan. Other friends identified in original captions and inscriptions include Mary Louise Ghert, Mary Hubbard, Donald “Donny” Cobb, Tommy Dean, Joey Crowley, Jean Duff, “Rita,” “Jimmy,” “Frances,” “Frankie,” and “Barbara,” as well as a woman named “Mrs. Greene,” identified as Jean’s godmother. Also pictured are horses and other animals, including two of the Kennedy family’s dogs, Fury and Spooky, as well as boats, including Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr.'s yacht, the “Davilis.” Original handwritten captions are written in blue and black ink and pencil on many of the leaves and on the versos of some photographs. This photograph album contains 191 photographic prints and three photographic postcards.
Textual folder
Kennedy Family Collection
KFC-066-001
This scrapbook, compiled by Edward M. “Teddy” Kennedy (likely with assistance from a governess, nurse, or family member), documents a wide range of activities of the Kennedy family in 1938 and 1939 during Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr.'s tenure as United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom. A handwritten note on the front free endpaper reads, “Teddy Kennedy / 14, Prince’s Gate / London, England” in black ink. Of note are clippings related to the family's trans-Atlantic voyage aboard the S.S. Washington and arrival in London in early 1938; their residence at 14 Prince's Gate in London; aspects of Ambassador Kennedy's diplomatic role, including his first levee (an audience with the king) at St. James's Palace in London, his first speech as Ambassador, and his impressions of the potential for war in Europe and of trade relations between Great Britain and the United States; Joseph P. “Joe” Kennedy, Jr.’s participation in rugby at Harvard University; Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy's attendance at a luncheon at the American Women's Club of London; Rosemary Kennedy and Eunice Kennedy’s arrival in London; Kathleen Kennedy and Rosemary's presentation as debutantes at the Court of St. James's; Teddy and Robert F. “Bobby” Kennedy’s assistance at the ribbon cutting of London’s Children’s Zoo; and a family trip to St. Moritz, Switzerland, following the Christmas holiday in 1938. Also of note are photographs of a mounted police officer and of the Changing of the Guard outside Buckingham Palace that were likely taken by Teddy on his box camera, as well as tickets to the Army versus Royal Air Force rugby match on March 26, 1938, and to the King’s Birthday Parade on June 9, 1938. This scrapbook contains 230 newspaper and magazine clippings, eight photographic prints, and three tickets.
Textual folder
Kennedy Family Collection
KFC-064-001
This scrapbook, compiled by Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, contains newspaper and magazine clippings from 1938 and 1939 that document a wide range of activities of the Kennedy family during Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr.’s tenure as United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom. Of note are clippings related to the family’s trans-Atlantic voyage aboard the S.S. Washington and arrival in London, England; their residence at 14 Prince’s Gate in London; Kathleen Kennedy's purported relationship with J. Peter Grace, son of W.R. Grace and Company president, Joseph Peter Grace, Sr.; Ambassador Kennedy’s first speech in his diplomatic role; Rose and Viscountess Nancy Astor’s attendance at a luncheon at the American Women's Club; Joseph P. "Joe" Kennedy, Jr.’s participation on the Harvard University rugby team; Kathleen and Rosemary Kennedy’s presentation at the Court of St. James’s; dances and parties attended and hosted by Ambassador Kennedy and Rose, including one attended by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth; Edward M. “Teddy” Kennedy’s assistance at the ribbon cutting of London’s Children’s Zoo; Ambassador Kennedy’s arrival in London with Joe, Jr., and John F. “Jack” Kennedy, following a trip back to the United States; Ambassador Kennedy’s receipt of an honorary degree from the National University of Ireland; the family’s vacations in France and Ireland; winter activities including skating and skiing in St. Moritz, Switzerland; Jack's impressions of Europe after a month abroad in England, Germany, and France; Kathleen's relationship with William “Billy” Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington; the family’s audience with Pope Pius XII at his coronation in Vatican City; Kathleen and Joe, Jr.’s visit to Madrid, Spain; Eunice Kennedy’s presentation at the Court of St. James’s; and Billy Hartington’s coming of age party. This scrapbook contains 417 newspaper and magazine clippings.
Textual folder
Kennedy Family Collection
KFC-056-001
This photograph album, compiled by Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, documents events from 1938 to 1939 while her husband, Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr., served as United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom. An original handwritten inscription in blue ink taped to the front cover reads, “Garden Party / London 1939 / St. Moritz 1938 / Kathleen Jean + Bobby / Embassy.” An original typed inscription that was once taped to the inside front cover but has become detached reads, "I should appreciate it if no one remove pictures from this book. If you do so, it will not be so interesting for other people. Personally, I should like to keep all the pictures to look at myself, because as you know we lost all the moving pictures of you children. Many of these pictures have been lost in the past, due to the clamor of newspapermen, so please do not remove any more. Thank you. Rose Kennedy." Of note are photographs of a garden party that the couple hosted at the Ambassador's residence at 14 Prince's Gate in London, England, on July 4th, 1939; of a family trip to St. Moritz, Switzerland, following the Christmas holiday in 1938; and of the Kennedy children at the Prince's Gate residence. Those pictured include Joseph, Sr.; Rose; Kathleen Kennedy; Eunice Kennedy; Patricia Kennedy; Robert F. Kennedy; and Jean Kennedy. Others pictured attending the Prince's Gate garden party, as identified in original captions and contemporary newspaper accounts, include Phyllis G. Seymour-Holm; actress Fanny (also spelled "Fannie") Ward; and sisters Mary Carolyn "Marylyn" Bruner and Betty Bruner. Original handwritten captions are written in white ink on the leaves beneath some of the photographs. This photograph album contains 46 photographic prints and photographic postcards.