Letter from Donald MacMaster to Harold John Tennant, 5 May 1916 Letters 1916-1923 Donald MacMaster

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This is a letter from Donald MacMaster to Harold John Tennant. The letter refers to a request to the War Office to send a dispatch to Dublin at the author's expense to find out the whereabouts of a maid who has went missing in Dublin on Easter Monday 1916.MacMaster (1846-1922), was a British lawyer and politician. In 1910 he had been elected to the House of Commons as a Conservative member for the Chertsey division of Surrey. He held this seat until his death in 1922.Tennant (1865-1935) was brother-in-law to the British Prime Minister Herbert Asquith and also acted as his assistant private secretary. Other posts which he occupied were financial secretary to the War Office from 1911-1912, under-secretary of state from 1912-1916 and secretary of Scotland from July 1916 to December 1916.

 National Archives of Ireland Chief Secretary’s Office Registered papers, CSO RP/1916/8718/1 https://letters1916.ie/item/363 English Donald MacMaster 1916-05-05 8, Old Square, Lincolns Inn, London, England H. J. Tennant War Office, Whitehall, London, England Male Easter Rising Ireland 1916 Industry and Public Administration

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 8, Old Square, Lincolns Inn LONDON, W.C. May 5th 1916. The Rt. Hon. H. J. Tennant, or in his absence Ian Macpherson, Esq., M.P., War Office, WHITEHALL, S.W. My Dear Sir : I have a most urgent request from Mr. D.W.Oliver, Manager of the Bank of Montreal, 8, Waterloo Place, in regard to a message which he has received from his sister Mrs. Crofke a (the wife of Colonel Crofke) now in service at Kingstown. Mrs. a Crofke is living at their home at Birr, a town about sixty miles from Dublin and her great anxiety is in regard to her maid, Bessie Harte, who left Birr on Monday Bank Holiday for Dublin and has not been heard of since. Mrs. Crofke a cannot get a telegram through to Dublin and urgently requests, through Mr. Oliver, that a message may be sent from the War Office to Mrs. Egan Bernard, of 65, Lindsay Road, Glasnevin, Dublin, TO enquire if this lady, Mrs. Egan Bernard, knows anything of the fate of Bessie Harte. Will you have the goodness to send a dispatch, at my expense to make this enquiry and as I am leaving for Bath this afternoon will you kindly communicate the results of the enquiry to my friend Mr. Oliver, the Bank Manager mentioned above. Any service that you can render will be greatly appreciated and any expense incurred I will be personally responsible for. Yours sincerely, Donald MacMaster By Special Delivery Donald MacMaster Letter from Donald MacMaster to Harold John Tennant, 5 May 1916 War Office, Whitehall, London, England Letter from Donald MacMaster to Harold John Tennant, 5 May 1916Letter from D. W. Oliver to Harold John Tennant, 5 May 1916 8, Old Square, Lincolns Inn, London, England Letter from Donald MacMaster to Harold John Tennant, 5 May 1916