This letter was written by Hugh de Fellenberg Montgomery (1844-1924). Montgomery was a lawyer and politician. Originally a Liberal and a strong supporter of Gladstone, Montgomery was also a firm Unionist, but by 1916 he believed that Ulster Unionists had no choice but to accept Lloyd George's proposal for a six-county Northern Ireland. The letter addressed to Sir Richard Dawson Bates (1876-1949). Bates was a solicitor and later Northern Ireland Cabinet Minister. Bates was also secretary of the Ulster Unionist Council (1906–21) and joint secretary of the Unionist Associations of Ireland from 1907. in addition to this, he helped to organise the Ulster covenant and Ulster Volunteer Force. This letter concerns Montgomery's annual subscription to the Ulster Unionist Council of three guineas.