Letter from Richard Cruise to Arethusa Leigh-White, 14 May 1916 Letters 1916-1923 Richard Cruise

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 Austrian Centre for Digital Humanities Vienna, AT 2026

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Letter from Richard Cruise to Arethusa Leigh-White (1885-1959). The two page handwritten letter relates to police in Bantry and referring to incidents around the country. This is a letter from the extensive Bantry Estate Collection, held in UCC Library in University College Cork. The collection, which covers a period of 300 years, contains the formal records regarding the legal, financial and general administration of this large house and estate in County Cork.

 UCC Library Special Collections and Archives Bantry Estate Collection BL_EP_B_2553, Bantry Estate Collection BL_EP_B_2553 https://letters1916.ie/item/894 English Richard Cruise 1916-05-14T00:00:00 Bantry, Co. Cork Arethusa Leigh-White Male Country and City Life Easter Rising Ireland 1916

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 From Richard Cruise (head of RIC in Bantry) Bantry 14. V. 1916 Dear Mrs Leigh White, I thought the letter I enclose from my brother might interest you. He was a Gaelic LeanLeague enthusiast & I can recall his camping out on one of the Arran Isles years ago with John McNeill so he is in a position to speak of that side of the movement. On the whole I think his conclusions are sound — but the worst of Ireland is that everyone has a solution in his and then they send over a chief Secretary who is so torn to pieces between 'em all that he does nothing. So you remember our effort to stop Peter O'Hourihane coming on his rounds organising disaffection? they put that file in a pingeon hole & on some other matter allowed me to understand that I was not to worry them. It is really a scandal the way they tied our hands .... a premium was put on smug complacency in police work and any man that tried to make them think was Sandbagged. 'We don't want police work' was the motto — well they got what they wanted with a vengeance. Just to think of it the Inspector General of the RIC in England & Dublin Castle held by 13 men they say when the rebellion started!! and this 3 days after the Casement incident & the sinking of the German ship If the Government are serious they must make radical changes in both the D.M.P & R.I.C Crime Special Staffs. We had a week or 10 days of tension in Bantry — the little knot of O'Hourihanes friends were very anxious to do something — probably shoot a policeman or two — but it did not come off. The Canon came quite out of his shell and in the end got the arms & ammunition from them. I made no arrests. I do hope they will appoint a live man Chief Secretary — it would be a stroke of genius to appoint William Martin Murphy if he is young & strong enough and would take it. We had great excitement in Bantry receiving the 107 from the poor S/S Cymrie ... I missed you tremendously! everyone was good enough however to be pleased about it — Your husband was very civil to the American Consul & this report to the American Ambassador (he showed it to me) did not omit an essential point. The Captain specially thanked the B.V.A.S. & this appeared in the papers. I must apologize for this terribly long letter — You will think the tribe of Cruise Cruise have developed an itch for writing! Eileen is very well & joins with me in sending kind Regards Yours very Sincerely Chief P.S. I had an urgent letter from Mrs Aitchison to go out at once — her nurse would not leave & was imputent etc. etc. — I went & the nurse left. She was lucky to escape with a trifling cut on the hand & some damage to her belongings. Mrs A. asked Eileen to send the children out when she went to Cork & we laughed all the way home! I am afraid she'll end in the Asylum or in prison. Poor Mrs Wilkinson is also worrying me about her servants....we RIC are maids of all work. Bantry, Co. Cork Letter from Richard Cruise to Arethusa Leigh-White, 14 May 1916Letter from R. Furise to Arethusa Leigh-White, 13 July 1916 Richard Cruise Letter from Richard Cruise to Arethusa Leigh-White, 14 May 1916