Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 1 August 1916 Letters 1916-1923 Wilfrid Bliss Spender

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A letter Spender from sir Wilfrid Spender (1876-1960) to his wife, Lady Lillian Spender, née Dean, (1880-1968). In this letter, Spender writes that he is hungry in two ways, both for his dinner and for 'my rabbit pie' (his pet name for Lady Lillian being 'pink rabbit'). He gives details of a country excursion he made upon his horse Fanny, whose tendency towards distraction he compares to Lillian's propensity to 'swerve into hatshops' and 'loiter at the local Debenham's'. He concludes that Fanny is the better walking companion of the two. Spender also plans a holiday for Lillian. The letter is unfinished.Sir Wilfrid Spender was a member of the British Army until 1913 when controversy surrounding his signature of the Ulster Solemn League and Covenant resulted in his resignation. Spender was called up for military service in 1914 and from 1915 served in the 36th (Ulster) Division. Throughout the war, Spender wrote a collection of letters to his wife Lady Lillian Spender. The letters date mainly from 1915 to 1918, when Sir Wilfrid was serving in France. The letters concern politics, the Irish question, personal life, and Wilfrid's experience of the Great War. Lady Lillian served in the Ulster Volunteer Nursing Corps during the war, and was an organiser of the Ulster Division Comforts Fund.

 Public Record Office of Northern Ireland Lady Spender's Correspondence, D1633/1/1/371 https://letters1916.ie/item/783 English Wilfrid Bliss Spender 1916-08-01 Lillian Spender Male World War I (1914-1918) Personal Relations

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 Aug 1 My p r A rather hungry b w, hungry in 2 ways principally for his dinner of course as it is getting on for 9 & I am writing in the office till relieved. It is the quiet time of the day & if I had more to say except that I am hungry for — my rabbit pie. I could prattle on. Very hot today & I felt so hungry sleepy after lunch that I struck and left the office for a country ride & walk with Fan. Fan is so good in walking beside me but like another smaller animal prances off when she sees chocolates — or their equivalent — but she does not swerve at hat shops, nor loiter at the local Debenhams so I think on the whole she is the better companion of the 2! She also keeps up with the b w on the roads as well as on the grass, & does not glance behind at taxies — at least she wouldn't if there were any taxies. Besides when the b w is lazy she carries him which the p r never does whilst the b w has never had to carry Fanny! I feel very much for the p r in this scorching weather. I'm afraid she must be fearfully limp & remember that a good holiday when you can take it is not a luxury but a necessity. Rex will of course be delighted to see you settled at Bagley wood but the sea side may be better but I don't think less than one week is any use, at the sea and probably 1 month 1 fortnight ought to be the minimum, but I expect your family will be trotting off soon or a hotel or rooms near the other family (Edo?) might do I hope your work is getting less now. Wilfrid Bliss Spender Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 12 June 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 13 June 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 17 June 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 19 June 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 21 June 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 24 June 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 30 June 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 3 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 9 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 11 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 12 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 15 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 16 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 16 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender, 16 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to Lady Lillian Spender, 18 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to Lady Lillian Spender, 21 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to Lady Lillian Spender, 21 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to Lady Lillian Spender, 22 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to Lady Lillian Spender, 22 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to Lady Lillian Spender, 23 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to Lady Lillian Spender, 24 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to Lady Lillian Spender, 27 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to Lady Lillian Spender, 29 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to Lady Lillian Spender, 28 July 1916Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 30 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 31 July 1916Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 31 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 1 August 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 4 August 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 6 August 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 7 August 1916Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 8 August 1916Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 9 August 1916Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 9 August 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 10 August 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 12 August 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 13 August 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 14 August 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 15 August 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 20 August 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 21 August 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 22 August 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 24 August 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 25 August 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 27 August 1916Note from Sir Wilfrid Spender, 28 August 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 18 December 1915Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 19 December 1915Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 20 December 1915Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 21 December 1915Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his family, 21 December 1915Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 22 December 1915Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 23 December 1915Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife, Lady Lillian Spender, 2 January 1916Letter from Wilfrid Spender to his wife, Lillian Spender, 9 January 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, [January 1916]Letter from Wilfrid Spender to his family, 3 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 12 November 1915