Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 9 August 1916 Letters 1916-1923 Wilfrid Bliss Spender

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Letter from sir Wilfrid Spender (1876 - 1960) to his wife, Lady Lillian Spender, née Dean, (1880-1968). In this letter, Spender discusses a purchase of 500 war certificates, as well as the progress of the fighting and various details relating to the work he is doing. He thanks Lillian for sending him soap and asks after the health of her father. He mentions that an old acquaintance from the staff college had turned up in the canteen today, but completely ignored Spender.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 remained in contact with the Ulster Unionist leadership, and consistently opposed Home Rule and the six-county solution. Lady Lillian served in the Ulster Volunteer Nursing Corps during the war, and was an organiser of the Ulster Division Comforts Fund. This letter is part of a series of correspondence from Sir Wilfrid Bliss Spender 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.

 Public Record Office of Northern Ireland Lady Spender's Correspondence, D1633/1/1/381 https://letters1916.ie/item/792 English Wilfrid Bliss Spender 1916-08-09T00:00:00 Lillian Spender Male World War I (1914-1918)

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 9 Aug I am very good in beginning a 2nd scrap today! Have you had any scrap note from Cox's about the purchase of 500 War certificates in your name as they have not replied to me yet? The news today is not very good and I wish the communiqué when edited had shown this more clearly as I think it is a mistake to pet the people all the time. On the whole however I feel convinced that the Germans are having a very bad time and perhaps this is all we can expect. My previous remark still holds good I am sorry to say. I got some enforced exercise trotting between my 2 offices over 500 yards apart but it is rather a waste of time sometimes, and now I am on sticks having spent the 1/4 hour before lunch in my room instead of going back to my old hut. The hut is the information bureau which is a little disturbing sometimes, but the other room which I share with Major Lord Gort — (who was the original of that ilk?) — is also a gossipy place when one wants to settle down to quiet steady writing which is none too easy in this weather. Just back from a ride we got such a welcome from Mount Joy it might almost have been the original meeting with the Fanny by the fuss that was made. Douglas is very much in clover here with a mess which he says is as good as the HQ mess of the Division for which he always expressed the most profound contempt. Walter is in talks about my becoming 'quite a blood' I shall really have to answer this! My last letter posted at 11 AM this morning and this posted at 7 PM tonight may be 24 hours apart in arriving but the 2 posts are only temporary. There are some advantages in being at GHQ in getting 'papers' quickly amongst others. I had 2 things especially to tell you which I can't remember. The soap has come, many thanks it is good but made in America! I hope the Patn is better again he always finds the heat trying, I know. What a pity we can't manage to take them in at Seaford or Borden. You have never been down there again. Barge I listen to on the telephone quite often. Jack Stuart a Staff College Contemp turned up to lunch today as a Brigadier, but did not or 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