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D.2846/2/21/14 LAMBTON CASTLE,
FENCE HOUSES. 23. april 1916. My dear Lady Londonderry, We can't well settle
anything about the disposal
of the remains of our
Osand fund until we
meet Col. Darwin & the
Territorial So Page Croft Commanding
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the Brigade in which the
13th D.L.S is? I suppose
so — I am willing to give
him £20 for drums for the
13th—Will you tell him
so — If other battalions
appeal also, I shall have
to give £20 to each
of them! but I must trust
to Providence and my
present economic mode of
life to be able to afford it. I shall go to London
tomorrow for the secret
sitting— It will enable
me to swagger among the
popular when I return
as the possessor of state secrets Every yours
D.
This letter is part of a series of correspondence belonging to Lady Londonderry, a
large proportion of which concerns Sir Edward Carson and opposition to the Third Home
Rule Bill. Lady Londonderry was a prominent figure in politics and high society from
1890 until 1919. Her correspondence includes many important figures in literature,
the arts, the military, law and the church.
John Lambton (1855 - 1928), the 3rd Earl of Durham and Lord Lieutenant of that county
from 1884 until a few months before his death, collaborated with Lady Londonderry
in raising money to buy drums for the 13th Battalion. Durham also mentions a "secret
sitting" in London which will leave him in possession of "state secrets".