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March 8th '16 Dear Lady Carson. The casket arrived home safely and
has been very much admired by those who have
seen it. I cannot express how much I value it.
Representing as it does the affection and appreciation
of my Ulster fellow countrymen for the service
thru. God's help I was instrumental in bringing to the
Cause of freedom civil and religious we have all been
fighting for so long. At the same time I feel I
only did my duty & this brought by the causes I had
to fight more prominently to the front. Many others
did as much for the cause as I, & knowing this
the beautiful casket seems in all fairness to
belong to them as well as to me. I would have addressed this to Sir Edward
himself but as he is still in the doctor's hands
you will let him know the contents at the proper time I look upon him as 'My Chief'
temporarily
I am serving another, but the day may come 'when
!!!!!' With Kind Regards to Sir Edward & yourself Yours Sincerely, Fred.H. Crawford. P.S. I have shown the casket to very
few. I am awaiting the letter it
was made to contain & till I get
it the casket will be kept put
away in a safe place.
This is a letter from Frederick Hugh Crawford (1862-1952) to Lady Ruby Carson (née
Frewen; 1881-1966). Crawford writes to Lady Carson in connection with a casket he
received for his service. He also writes about his loyalty to his fellow Ulstermen
during the First World War, and requests that Lady Carson relay the information conveyed
in the letter to Sir Edward Carson who is still 'in the Doctor's hands.'Born in in
Belfast, County Antrim, to a Methodist family, Frederick Hugh Crawford was an engineer,
soldier and a gun runner. He smuggled German guns into Larne, Bangor and Donaghadee
in 1914 for the Ulster Volunteer Force. He was also appointed OC Royal Army Service
Corps for Northern Ireland during the First World War. Lady Ruby Carson was born in
Yorkshire and was the daughter of Lt Col Stephen Frewen. In 1914 she became the second
wife of the prominent Unionist figure Sir Edward Carson (1854-1935).