Eleanor Harbison Bream Letters and Diary

Collection

Identifier: 2016.005

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Eleanor Harbison Bream Letters and Diary contains materials documenting her career, travels, and relationships. The majority of materials in the collection are the letters between Eleanor H. Bream and her parents, Mrs. & Mr. F.R. Harbison. The majority of these letters contain day-to-day details about living abroad or in the United States during the 1950s and 1960s. A small portion of the collection is from Helen Webb, a friend of Eleanor who traveled throughout the world working for the Foreign Service.

Dates

Created: 1930-1962
Other: Majority of material found in 1955-1962

Creator

Bream, Eleanor Harbison (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Biographical or Historical Information

Eleanor Harbison was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA. In 1931 she began her studies at The Pennsylvania College for Women (PCW), now Chatham University. While at P.C.W., Eleanor was a staff member of the Arrow and a member of Phi Pi, Y.W.C.A., and the Library Committee for Junior-Freshman Tea. After graduating in 1935, she worked at the Pittsburgh Planetarium. Eleanor Harbison began her work for the Foreign Service as a Personnel Officer in 1944. She became an administrative assistant, assigned to posts in Stockholm, Cairo, Rome, and Paris. In 1952 she married a Foreign Service Officer, Gray Bream, and she continued to travel with him to his posts in Pakistan, the Netherlands, and Germany. Eventually, the couple settled down in McLean Virginia where Mr. Bream continued to work for the State Department and Mrs. Bream was an active member of the McLean Woman’s Club. In 2001, Mrs. Bream passed away at the age of 86.

Note written by

Extent

1.50 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Eleanor Harbison was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA. In 1931 she began her studies at The Pennsylvania College for Women (PCW), now Chatham University.

Arrangement Note

The collection is arranged in five series, mostly based on the author(s) of the material. The last series contains miscellaneous postage items and a picture of an estate. Within each series, letters are arranged in chronological order and divided with respect to location or author.