Letter from Richard Canson to Herbert Henry Asquith, May 1916 Letters 1916-1923 Richard Canson

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Letter from Richard Canson (b. 1883), a Protestant farmer's son, to Herbert Henry Asquith (1852-1928), the British prime minister. The letter is written in the period following the 1916 Easter Rising. Canson states that he is writing on behalf of the Protestants of County Mayo and goes on to state that the county council's decision to convert the local prison into an asylum is a treacherous one, believing that the prison is needed to detain Sinn Feiners and nationalists. He goes on to state that more of a military presence is needed in the area, which may result in a boost in recruitment and prevent the arming of young men for the nationalist movement. He goes on to suggest a local workhouse as suitable for the asylum. Herbert Henry Asquith was Liberal Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1908 to 1916.

 National Archives of Ireland Chief Secretary's Office Registered Papers, CSO RP/1916/5612/9040/1 https://letters1916.ie/item/177 English Richard Canson 1916 Derrynadiva, Castlebar, Co Mayo Herbert Henry Asquith Male Easter Rising Ireland 1916 Country and City Life

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 Dernadiva Castlebar To Right hon. H H Asquith Prime Minister Lond Sir on behalf of the Protestants of Co mayo i beg draw your attention to the fact the Co Council has wanted close Castlebar Prison as in excuse wants it for mayo asyluasylum enlargement. this we consider if the Government would do as trecherous because owing to the disturbance in Ireland of Nationalists and Sinn Feiners we require it always and only it was to be had a few weeks ago there would be no place to detain Prisoners of which amounted to dosens of Sinn feiners - and this the west requires more military. Castlebar having a Soldiers Barricks and a rifle range which would want very little repair at least a regt of English soldiers should be for training, it would also encourage recruiting and not have thousands of young men armed with rifles both nationalists and Sinn feiners Castlebar where there are only 30 police while the population is over 3000 70 and a large Country around thickly populaited and is the same in all the chief towns of mayo at least Castlebar which was head quarters should not be left without soldiers and also the mayo Prison in conclusion i ask respectfully you shall comply with my only request as you in England is not aware how nationalists and Sinn feiners is drilling with rifles and will not join their Colours against the huns I remain kind sir respectfully yours Richard Carson Esq (Rgt hond H H Asquith) adress Richard Carson Esq Dernadiva Castlegar Co mayo P S there is a workhouse where there is only a few inmates is very suitable for aditionto the asylum would hold hundreds while the prison if it was remodeled would not hold many and deleted text spoil the County having to be sent to Co Sligo Richard Canson Letter from Richard Canson to Herbert Henry Asquith, May 1916 Herbert Henry Asquith Letter from Alice Stopford Green to Herbert Henry Asquith, 17 May 1916.Letter from William Henry Caunt to Herbert Henry Asquith, 4 May 1916Letter from Richard Canson to Herbert Henry Asquith, May 1916Letter from Jane Barklie to Herbert Asquith, 6 May 1916Letter from P. C. McCarthy to Herbert Henry Asquith, 13 May 1916Letter from Maeve Cavanagh to Herbert Henry Asquith, 1916Letter from Agnes Halton to Herbert Henry Asquith, 28 April 1916.Letter from the Casement Relief Petition Committee to Herbert Henry Asquith, 31 July 1916Letter from Patrick J. Mallon to Herbet Henry Asquith, 29 June 1916Letter from Colonel Maurice Moore to Herbert Henry Asquith, 29 July 1916Letter from Sir John Maxwell to Herbert Henry Asquith, 12 May 1916.Printed copy of letter from Henry Lemass, solicitor, to Herbert Henry Asquith, 13 June 1916.Letter from James J. Judge to Herbert Henry Asquith, 19 May 1916Letter from John Joseph Sutherland to Herbert Henry Asquith, 27 May 1916Letter from Robert Carson to Herbert Henry Asquith, 14 February 1916Letter from Herbert Henry Asquith, 2 August 1916Letter from Jane Cobden Unwin to Herbert Henry Asquith, 2 August 1916 Derrynadiva, Castlebar, Co Mayo Letter from Richard Canson to Herbert Henry Asquith, May 1916