1
Chancery Buildings, Manor Street, Hull, 18 May 1916 ERNEST WHITLOCK, ARCHITECT
AND SURVEYOR The Chief Secretary of Ireland Dear Sir I am an Architect & Surveyor
& since the war have had no
work to do & no prospect of
obtaining anything here. I thought probably on a/c of
the Dublin trouble you
might require men of our
profession to make surveys
plans & estimates & carry
out works where the Buildings
have been damaged. I am 50 years old & have
been in business here 18
years. I have good references
& shall be glad to call on
you if you could find me employment Yours truly
E. Whitlock Ack & inform that there's no
appt. in this Dept. in connection
with which his appl. for employment
could be considered. 19.5.16
This is a letter from Ernest John Whitlock (b. 1861), an architect and surveyor from
Yorkshire, to the chief secretary of Ireland. While the letter is addressed to the
chief secretary, there was no active chief secretary at the time this letter was written.
This is due to the fact that Augustine Birrell (1850-1933) resigned on 3 May 1916
following his administrational failure during the 1916 Rising while his successor,
Henry Duke (1855-1939), did not formally accept the position until 31 June 1916. In
the letter, Whitlock states his profession and the fact he is 50 (above the military
service age) and has worked in the profession for 18 years. Whitlock then states that
he wishes to offer his services to the Irish government for any work needed following
the destruction of Dublin city due to the Easter Rising