Letter from Mrs. Arthur Goff to Lady Clonbrock, 25 February, 1916. Letters 1916-1923 Mrs. Arthur Goff

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This is a letter from Mrs. Arthur Goff, honorary secretary of the Dundrum Prisoners of War Organisation, to Augusta Caroline Dillon (née Crofton), Lady Clonbrock (1839-1928). Mrs. Goff had a similar role to Lady Clonbrock in the Irish Women's Association, formed in London in the Spring of 1915 for the purpose of providing food and comforts for prisoners of war belonging to Irish Regiments. Mrs. Goff is writing about looking after men prisoners who, strictly, belong to other organisations. She had sent a list of the men to the I.W.A., asking if she could retain two of the men, one in particular to whom she had sent parcels on a weekly basis since 1914. Mrs. Goff also sends a list (not available) of all Connaught Rangers prisoners to whom she has been sending parcels from time to time. She says that she has many prisoners from the Dublin Fusiliers and the English Regiments but the Irish Women's Association is the only organisation 'which does not seem to want their funds lightened by having men taken off their hands'. There is a further note on the back of this page telling Lady Clonbrock that all of the men on her list are paid for by adopters, and she believes that this is in accord with Government policy. An information sheet setting out the modus operandi of the Dundrum Prisoners of War Organisation is enclosed.

 National Library of Ireland Clonbrock Estate Papers, Collection List No. 54; Ms. 35,796/11/14 https://letters1916.ie/item/1538 English Mrs. Arthur Goff 1916-02-25 Belfort House, Dundrum, Co. Dublin, Ireland. Augusta Caroline Dillon Female World War I (1914-1918) World War I (1914-1918)

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 Hon. Sec., Mrs Arthur Goff, Belfort House, Dundrum, Co Dublin Dundrum, Feb 25th 1916 Co Dublin Dear Madam , In September last I wrote to the commanding officer of the Connaught Rangers, sending him a list of Prisoners of War I had been looking after since the beginning of the year. In fact I had had acknowledgement from C Hanly before Christmas 1914 Colonel Clancy's reply I enclose. As I was then a very small organisation I feared to take the responsibility of men who had others to look after them & as the Irish Womens Association were getting the Departmental fund for looking after the men I felt it would not be right to keep them. So I wrote to the Irish Womens Assoc to that effect requesting to be allowed to keep on Wallpole. & especally Mahon. who was a local man & to I had sent a wealthy parcel since Xmas 1914. Their reply I also enclose. It seemed to me unreasonable especally as all his people live near me & his wife wished me to look after him she subscribed 2/- per week towards his parcels. When I got Sergent Alfred Cowell's letter I wrote again to the I W A because they had agreed to my him amongst others . My letter I enclose also their answers. I am sorry to give you all this trouble & to send you so much correspondence but I fear it is the only way to explain these things If not asking too much I would like all enclosures returned. I now send you a list of the Connaughts to whom I have been sending parcels from time to time. If you tell me it is no longer necessary to do so I will stop. The names with an X against them we have sendbeen sending a weekly parcel. to from Berne, tobacco & cigarettes from London I supply them with all underclothes including boots. The weekly parcels they have been getting since the beginning of the year. The bread soon after that organisation was started. I have many of the . & many more from English. & the Irish Womens Assoc is the only organisation which does not seem to want their funds lightened by having taken off their hands. I hope that you will continue to allow us to adopt the men with the X against their names. Hoping you will forgive my troubling you at such lengths. yrs truly E Goff P.T.O. All the men I have on my list are being payed for by different adopters, It being I understand the Government & the Directors Generals wish to encourage such private individuals & share influential friends The Dundrum Prisoners of War Organisation APPROVED BY THE WAR OFFICE and Under the auspices of the Central Advisory Committee, RDF The funds of the above organisation entirely keep the men. It undertakes to look after each prisoner by a weekly parcel of foodstuffs, a supply of bread weekly from Berne, tobacco and cigatettes out of bond from the British and American Co., London, besides underclothing , boots, etc. Every man costs under 5s. per week, which includes everything except clothes. A parcel is also despatched at once to every new appeal, of which there are many. No matter what regiment the man may belong to the parcel is sent and continued until such time as the man is taken on by his own Regiment or Depot. Any man already on the list can be adopted for 2s. 6d. per week, all goods being sent in the adopter's name; or 5s. per week for a new man or one of the adopter's own choosing. All contributions of money, clothes (old or new), boots, etc., will be gratefully received. Office hours at No. 1 Sydenham Road. — 11 a.m. until 1 p.pm every day except Wednesdays and Saturdays; Tuesday afternoons from 2-30 until 6-30 p.m. for labelling and packing, when all visitors are welcome. TEA-------4-30 p.m. A Committee Meeting will be held every Friday morning at 12 noon, this being formed of any subscribers who may wish to attend. All work absolutely voluntary. Communications and contributions to be addresses to the Hon. Secretary — MRS ARTHUR GOFF, Belfort House, Dundrum, Co Dublin Belfort House, Dundrum, Co. Dublin, Ireland. Letter from Mrs. Arthur Goff to Lady Clonbrock, 12 August, 1916.Letter from Mrs. Arthur Goff to Lady Clonbrock, 12 August 1916.Letter from Mrs. Arthur Goff to Lady Clonbrock, 29 February 1916.Letter from Mrs. Arthur Goff to Lady Clonbrock, 25 February, 1916. Mrs. Arthur Goff Letter from Mrs. Arthur Goff to Lady Clonbrock, 12 August, 1916.Letter from Mrs. Arthur Goff to Lady Clonbrock, 12 August 1916.Letter from Mrs. Arthur Goff to Lady Clonbrock, 29 February 1916.Letter from Mrs. Arthur Goff to Lady Clonbrock, 25 February, 1916. Augusta Caroline Dillon Letter from Alfred Gerald Crofton to Lady Clonbrock, 13 December 1915Letter from Alfred Gerald Crofton to Lady Clonbrock, 1 October 1916Letter from Private M. Cahill to Lady Clonbrock, 17 April 1916Letter from J. L. Hay to Lady Clonbrock, 7 January 1916Letter from Private Patrick Furey to Lady Clonbrock, 4 January 1916Letter from Jessie Crofton to Lady Clonbrock, 19 April 1916Letter from John J. Thompson to Augusta Caroline Dillon, Lady Clonbrock, 13 November 1915Letter from Josephine Murray to Lady Clonbrock, 22 May 1916Letter from Elizabeth Francis Neill to Lady Clonbrock, 21 February 1916Letter from Maude Chenevix Trench to Lady Clonbrock, 13 June 1916Postcard from Maude Chenevix Trench to Lady Clonbrock, 16 May 1916Letter from Lady Clonbrock to Eliza Chamier, 24 May 1916Letter from George Hugh Chetwood Townsend to Lady Clonbrock, 1 April 1916Letter from Edith Francis Maxwell to Lady Clonbrock, 22 June 1916Letter from Emma Armstrong to Lady Clonbrock, 2 August 1916Letter from Ursula Mahon to Lady Clonbrock, 18 July 1916Letter from Lady Mayo, Royal Dublin Fusiliers Kildare Committee, to Lady Clonbrock, 31 December 1915.Letter from Mrs. Arthur Goff to Lady Clonbrock, 12 August, 1916.Letter from Mrs. Arthur Goff to Lady Clonbrock, 12 August 1916.Letter from Mrs. Arthur Goff to Lady Clonbrock, 29 February 1916.Letter from Mrs. Arthur Goff to Lady Clonbrock, 25 February, 1916.Letter from Lady Mayo to Lady Clonbrock, 28 December, 1915.Letter from N. Maxwell, 23 July 1916.Letter from Emma Armstrong to Lady Clonbrock, 23 February, 1916.Letter from Kathleen Lewis, 19 October 1916.Letter from George C. Townshend to Lady Clonbrock, 18 October 1916.Letter from Emma Armstrong to Lady Clonbrock, 26 June 1916Letter from the Marquess of Sligo to Lady Clonbrock, 23 October, 1916.Letter from Florence to Lady Clonbrock, 28 November 1916.