Letter from Sir Matthew Nathan to Walter Edgeworth-Johnstone, 22 April 1916 Letters 1916-1923 Matthew Nathan

This work was originally published by Maynooth University in Ireland in 2017. In 2026 this data, stored in a relational database was extracted and converted into this TEI/XML document.

 Austrian Centre for Digital Humanities Vienna, AT 2026

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A letter from Sir Matthew Nathan (1862-1939) to Walter Edgeworth-Johnstone (1863–1937), the chief commissioner of the Dublin Metropolitan Police Force. The letter answers a series of questions posed by Robert Anderson, the secretary of the IIAVTC, in a previous letter concerning how many men would be required for each post, the length of time their service would be required, whether the men would be sworn in as special constables, if they would be provided with sticks and whistles, if they must wear a uniform and who the men would be answering to.Sir Matthew Nathan was the under-secretary for Ireland from 1914 to 1916. In 1916 Nathan offered his resignation following the outbreak of the Easter Rising. The IIAVTC were a corps consisting of men who were over age or engaged in important occupations and therefore could not enlist for wartime service when war broke out in 1914. This was a volunteering training militia that came to be known by the nickname 'Gorgeous Wrecks' due to the G.R. armbands they wore symbolising Georgius Rex. During the Rising, Edgeworth-Johnson withdrew his men from the streets after three were shot dead. In May 1916 he gave evidence to the royal commission of inquiry into the causes of the rebellion. The commission praised the conduct of the unarmed Dublin Metropolitan Police and noted that Edgeworth-Johnstone had given the government several warnings on which they could have acted before the Rising.

 National Archives of Ireland NAI, CSORP/1916/7964/3 https://letters1916.ie/item/253 English Matthew Nathan 1916-04-22 Chief Secretary's Office, Dublin Castle, Dublin, Ireland. Walter Edgeworth-Johnson Dublin Metropolitan Police, Dublin, Ireland. Male World War I (1914-1918) Industry and Public Administration

The data in these XML files was generated based on a data dump from the Magellan database (https://github.com/Maynooth-Center-for-Digital-Humanities/Magellan). Each database record has been converted to a JSON file (https://github.com/letters1916static/letters-data/tree/main/json). The element section of the JSON file contains the TEI-encoded contents of the letters. The TEI XML has been cleaned and made well-formed using a Python script (https://github.com/letters1916static/letters-data/tree/main/src).

 CHIEF SECRETARY'S OFFICE, DUBLIN CASTLE. 22nd April, 1916. Dear Edgeworth Johnstone, Will you kindly enable me to supplement your minute of the 18th in this file by answers to the questions put to me informally in Mr. Anderson's note of yesterday. I should certainly say that the answer to 3 should be in the affirmative and I am inclined to think also the answer to 5. The uniform of the Volunteer Training Corps has now been made sufficiently familiar to the public for men in it to be employed on quasi-military duty without exciting much comment. As regards 6 I imagine there can be no objection to the various posts being inspected by a Volunteer Training Corps Orderly Officer. Yours sincerely, Matthew Nathan Lt.Col. W. Edgeworth Johnstone, Chief Commissioner, Dublin Metropolitan Police. Walter Edgeworth-Johnson Letter from Walter Edgeworth-Johnstone to Sir Mathew Nathan, 22 April 1916Letter from Sir Matthew Nathan to Walter Edgeworth-Johnstone, 22 April 1916Letter from Walter Edgeworth-Johnstone to Robert Chalmers, 18 July 1916 Matthew Nathan Letter from James Brown to Matthew Nathan, 1 April 1916Letter from Patrick Lavery to Sir Matthew Nathan, 31 March 1916A letter from Thomas W. Delany to Sir Matthew Nathan, 29 March 1916Letter from W. Burrows to Sir Matthew Nathan, 2 April 1916Telegram from W. Burrows to Sir Matthew Nathan, 2 April 1916Letter from Max S. Green to Sir Matthew Nathan, 6 May 1916Letter from James Langan to Sir Matthew Nathan, 6 May 1916Letter from Thomas Patrick Gill to Sir Matthew Nathan, 6 May 1916Letter from Sir Matthew Nathan to Sir Neville Francis Fitzgerald Chamberlain, 1 May 1916Letter from Alexander Crawford to Matthew Nathan, 17 March 1916Letter from Alexander Crawford to Sir Matthew Nathan, 28 March 1916Letter from Matthew Nathan to John Gordon, 30 March 1916Letter from William Edward Thrift to Sir Matthew Nathan, 29 March 1916Letter from Hastings Dare Draper to Matthew Nathan, 29 March 1916Letter from William Edward Thrift to Sir Matthew Nathan, 7 April 1916Letter from Basil Home Thomson, the Assistant Commissioner of Police, to Sir Matthew Nathan, 7 March 1916Letter from Maurice de Bunsen to Sir Matthew Nathan, 26 April 1916Letter from Blake & Kenny to Sir Matthew Nathan, 29 April 1916Letter from Walter Edgeworth-Johnstone to Sir Mathew Nathan, 22 April 1916Letter from Sir Matthew Nathan to Walter Edgeworth-Johnstone, 22 April 1916Letter from Robert Anderson to Sir Matthew Nathan, 21 April 1916Letter from Robert Anderson to Sir Matthew Nathan, 20 April 1916Letter from Robert Anderson to Sir Matthew Nathan, 18 April 1916Letter from C. J. Hyder to Sir Matthew Nathan, 8 May 1916Letter from John Bay to Sir Matthew Nathan, 18 April 1916Letter from Matthew Nathan to Andrew Philip Magill, 19 April 1916Letter from Matthew Nathan to Stanislaus Murphy, 18 April 1916Letter from H.S. Hunter to Sir Matthew Nathan, 26 April 1916Letter from Matthew Nathan to J. G. Swift Mac Neill, 20 April 1916.Letter from R. Hutchinson to Sir Matthew Nathan, under-secretary for Ireland, 2 May 1916Letter from Bertram Cubitt to Matthew Nathan, 23 May 1916Letter from Patrick Clarke to Matthew Nathan, 21 May 1916Letter from Robert Brown to Matthew Nathan, 15 April 1916Letter from Robert Brown to Matthew Nathan, 17 January 1916Letter from Robert Brown to Sir Matthew Nathan, 15 April 1916Letter from Robert Brown to Sir Matthew Nathan, 22 April 1916Letter from Robert Brown to Matthew Nathan, 19 January 1916Letter from Thomas J. O'Connell to Matthew Nathan, 7 April 1916Letter from Ernest G. Moggridge to Matthew Nathan, 10 April 1916Letter from Thomas J. O'Connell to Matthew Nathan, 10 April 1916Letter from Francis Henry Downing to Matthew Nathan, 13 April 1916Letter from Francis Henry Downing to Matthew Nathan, 14 April 1916Letter from Henry Williams to Matthew Nathan, 14 April 1916Letter from F. A. Downing, County Solicitor, to Sir Matthew Nathan, 16 November 1915Letter from B. B. Cubitt, War Office, to Sir Matthew Nathan, 2 December 1915Letter from John R. Moorhead to Sir Matthew Nathan, 8 December, 1915Letter from S.C. Harrison to Sir Matthew Nathan, 1 February 1916Letter from Sir Matthew Nathan to Alexander McDowell, 3 November 1915Letter from P. A. Murphy to Sir Matthew Nathan, 5 February 1916Letter from Thomas Parr to the Under-Secretary, 22 April 1916Letter from Michael O'Connell to the Under-Secretary, Dublin Castle, 22 April 1916Letter from Maurice McCartie to the Under Secretary, 25 March 1916Letter from A.R. Barlas to Matthew Nathan, 18 February 1916Letter from Matthew Nathan to the Treasury, 3 March 1916Letter from T.H. Milroy to the under-secretary, 8 March 1916Letter from John Pedder to Matthew Nathan, the Under-Secretary for Ireland, 6 April 1916Letter from John Garvey to the under-secretary, 16 April 1916Letter from John Pedder to the Under Secretary of Ireland, 27 March, 1916Letter from W.A.F. Barry to Sir Matthew Nathan, 18 June 1916Letter from James D Mitchell to Sir Matthew Nathan, 20 June 1916Letter from Paul Biggane to the Under Secretary of Ireland, 3 May 1916Letter from the War Office to the Under Secretary, 31 December 1915Letter from William J. Thompson to the Under Secretary, 31 March 1916Letter from M.C. Seton to the Under Secretary, 1 December 1915Letter from the Controller, Foreign Trade Department, to Sir Matthew Nathan, 19 February 1916Letter from the Earl of Shaftesbury to Matthew Nathan, 15 February 1916Letter from Patrick Higgins to sir Matthew Nathan, 10 January 1916Letter from Under Secretary of State for the Home Office to the Under Secretary for Ireland, 10 January 1916Letter from Alfred E. West to Matthew Nathan, 3 January 1916Letter from Alfred E. West to sir Matthew Nathan, 29 December 1915Letter from Colfer & Son, solicitors, to sir Matthew Nathan, 22 December 1915Letter from Thomas W. Delaney to Matthew Nathan, 15 April 1916Letter from Charles Daly to sir Matthew Nathan, 16 December 1915Letter from Thomas W. Kilpatrick to Matthew Nathan, 17 December 1915Letter from Thomas W. Delaney to Sir Matthew Nathan, 11 April 1916Letter from W. Black to Sir Matthew Nathan, 17 December 1915Note from the Chief Crown Solicitor to Sir Matthew Nathan, 16 February 1916A letter from J.J. Purdon to sir Matthew Nathan, 17 December 1915Letter from William R. Fetherstonhaugh to Sir Matthew Nathan, 17 December 1915Letter from J.W. Russell to Matthew Nathan, 17 December 1916Letter from Hugh Crawford Cochrane to sir Matthew Nathan, 17 December 1915 Letter from David Roche Browning to sir Matthew Nathan, 17 December 1915A letter from J.A. Frith to sir Matthew Nathan, 20 December 1915Letter from William French to Sir Matthew Nathan, 17 December 1915Letter from Frank Shawe-Taylor to Matthew Nathan, 18 December 1915A letter from John Furlong to Matthew Nathan, 17 December 1915Letter from William Dawson to Sir Matthew Nathan, 28 February 1916Letter from William Dawson to Sir Matthew Nathan, 25 February 1916Letter from Major Luscombe to Sir Matthew Nathan, 30 January 1916Letter from William J. Thompson to Sir Matthew Nathan, 21 January 1916Letter from Sir Thomas Little Heath to Sir Matthew Nathan, 26 February 1916Letter from the Alexander Richard Barlas to Sir Matthew Nathan, 15 February 1916Letter from A R Barlas to Sir Matthew Nathan, 1 March 1916Letter from the Louis C.P. Smith to Sir Matthew Nathan, 3 March 1916Letter from Henry Doran to Matthew Nathan, 14 April 1916Letter from Sir Matthew Nathan to Sir William Graham Greene, 20 April 1916Letter from Charles P. O'Neill to Matthew Nathan, 30 Mar 1916Letter from Arthur Hamilton Norway to Matthew Nathan, 31 March 1916Letter from Robert Lonsdale to Sir Matthew Nathan, 28 March 1916Letter from Charles P. O'Neill to Sir Matthew Nathan, 3 April 1916Letter from John Robert O'Connell to Sir Matthew Nathan, 10 April 1916Letter from Sir John Robert O'Connell to Sir Matthew Nathan, 27 March 1916.Letter from John Robert O'Connell to Sir Matthew Nathan, 4 April 1916Letter from John Robert O'Connell to Sir Matthew Nathan, 1 April 1916Letter from William M. Nolan to Matthew Nathan, 31 March 1916Letter from William M. Nolan to Matthew Nathan, 7 April 1916Letter from John Pedder to Matthew Nathan, 10 April 1916Letter from Andrew M. Harper to Matthew Nathan, 1 November 1915Letter from Andrew M. Harper to Matthew Nathan, 21 November 1915Letter from J. F. Henderson to Matthew Nathan, 28 April 1916Letter from Robert Anderson to Sir Matthew Nathan, 15 April 1916Telegraph from Matthew Nathan to Andrew Philip Magill, 23 March 1916Letter from Matthew Nathan to Andrew Philip Magill, 22 March 1916Letter from John R. Moorhead to Robert Brown, 18 January 1916Letter from Graham Roger to Matthew Nathan, 20 April 1916Letter from Michael O'Connor to Matthew Nathan, 25 April 1916Letter from C. A. Hunter, Regimental Paymaster, to Sir Matthew Nathan, 11 December 1915Letter from S.C Harrison to Sir Matthew Nathan, 5 March 1916Letter from W. A. Tait to the Under-Secretary, 21 April 1916Letter from J. T. Roche to the Under-Secretary for Ireland, 15 April 1916Letter from John Peddar to Matthew Nathan, 22 January 1916Letter from the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland to the Under Secretary of Ireland, 5 February 1916Letter from Matthew Nathan to Basil Blackwood, 26 February 1916Letter from J. des Longchamps to Sir Matthew Nathan, 6 January 1916Letter from Matthew Nathan to James MacMahon, 10 January 1916Letter from Richard Power, Mayor of Waterford, to Matthew Nathan, 22 November 1915Letter from Henry Campbell to Matthew Nathan, 6 January 1916Letter from J. Studdert to Matthew Nathan, 11 December 1915Letter from the Under Sheriff to Matthew Nathan, 31 December 1915Letter from J.B.Donnelly to Matthew Nathan, 6 January 1916Letter from Major John Johnstone (Commandant Prisoners of War) to Sir Matthew Nathan, 1 March 1916Letter from the Crown Solicitor, Cavan, to Sir Matthew Nathan, 1 March 1916Letter from A R Barlas to Sir Matthew Nathan, 28 February 1916Letter from William Dawson to Sir Matthew Nathan, 26 February 1916Letter from William J. Thompson to Sir Matthew Nathan, 28 February 1916 Chief Secretary's Office, Dublin Castle, Dublin, Ireland. Letter from Sir Matthew Nathan to Walter Edgeworth-Johnstone, 22 April 1916 Dublin Metropolitan Police, Dublin, Ireland. Letter from Sir Matthew Nathan to Walter Edgeworth-Johnstone, 22 April 1916