Admin History | Ethel Edith Mannin (1900-84) was a prolific writer of novels and travel memoirs, as well as a committed Socialist and political activist. She first visited Palestine during the 1930s, under the British Mandate, and was a staunch opponent of the Israeli occupation after 1948. Christopher Joseph Walker (1942-2017) was working in Sotheby's department of historical and literary manuscripts when he came into contact with Mannin in the late 1960s through their shared interest in the Palestinian cause. They developed a strong friendship and corresponded regularly for several years. In their letters - which focus primarily on Palestinian issues and the politics of the Middle East - Mannin shared with the young historian her knowledge of people and places, built up over decades of travel and political activism. They did, however, disagree on various issues, including the value of the work of CAABU (The Council for the Advancement of Arab-British Understanding), and the letters are full of examples of Mannin's forceful political opinions and lively expression. They lost touch during the late 1970s as Walker concentrated on his research into Armenian history - he become a noted scholar in this field - but made contact again in 1980, by which time Mannin had moved from London to Devon and all but retired from active writing or campaigning. |