Toulouse Family correspondence, 1915-1917
John Hay Library , Special Collections
Box A
Brown University
Providence, RI 02912
Tel: 401-863-2146
email: hay@brown.edu
Published in 2013
Collection Overview
| Title: | Toulouse Family correspondence |
| Date range: | 1915-1917 |
| Creator: | Toulouse, Emile, fl. 1916 (compiler) |
| Extent: | 0.25 Linear feet |
| Abstract: | A bound volume of letters written by brothers Eugène, Emile and Jean Toulouse regarding their experiences in the French military during World War I. |
| Language of materials: | French |
| Repository: | John Hay Library
, Special Collections |
| Collection number: | MS.2012.017 |
Scope & content
A bound volume of letters written by brothers Eugène, Emile and Jean Toulouse regarding their experiences in the French army during World War I. The letters are all written to Emile by Eugène and Jean and a smattering of friends and cousins. The volume contains about 1,000 items. The correspondence dates from January 3, 1916 to November 17, 1917. It also contains a sheet of dried flowers collected by Eugène in the trenches during March - July 1915. The volume is a homemade scrapbook style volume. Thin strips of paper are gathered into signatures. Each piece of correspondence was then pasted to the strip of paper along one edge. The covers are made of paperboard and cloth and covered with blue paper reminiscent of the color of the French uniforms called "bleu horizon."Access Points
Subject Names Subject Organizations Subject Topics Document Types Subject TopicsArrangement
The letters were pasted into the scrapbook in chronological order.
Biographical/Historical note
Everything we know about the lives of the brothers represented by this correspondence has been gleaned from the correspondence. Emile Toulouse served in the Sapeur Pompier (Firefighter) in Paris and held the rank of Caporal from 1916-1917. Eugène Toulouse served in the 317th Regiment in the Infantry. In January 1916 Eugène is a Mitrailleur de Brigade (Machine Gunner). He gains the rank of Caporal by about January 1917 and becomes a Sergent in May 1917. Jean may have been the youngest of the brothers as letters from him do not start until April 1917. Jean served with the 44th Regiment, 68th Battery of the Artillery. In December 1917 Jean begins a training course as an Electrician.Access & Use
| Access to the collection: | There are no restrictions on access, except that the collection can only be seen by prior appointment. Some materials may be stored off-site and cannot be produced on the same day on which they are requested. |
| Use of the materials: | Although Brown University has physical ownership of the collection and the materials contained therein, it does not claim literary rights. Researchers should note that compliance with copyright law is their responsibility. Researchers must determine the owners of the literary rights and obtain any necessary permissions from them. |
| Preferred citation: | Toulouse Family correspondence, Ms.2012.017, Brown University Library. |
| Contact information: | John Hay Library
, Special Collections Box A Brown University Providence, RI 02912 Tel: 401-863-2146 email: hay@brown.edu |
Administrative Information
| ABOUT THE COLLECTION | |
| Acquisition: | This volume was purchased by the Brown University Library from Bonnefoi Livres Anciens in 2012. |
| ABOUT THE FINDING AID | |
| Author: | Finding aid prepared by Karen Eberhart |
| Encoding: | This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2013-03-12 |
| Descriptive rules: | Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS) |
Additional Information
Inventory
Correspondances Militaires, 27 March 1915-17 November 1917
This entire collection is contained in one scrapbook volume with the title "Correspondances Militaires" handwritten on the spine. The sheet of pressed flowers from the trenches dates from March to July 1915. The correspondence dates from January 3, 1916 to November 17, 1917.