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1, BUCKINGHAM PALACE GARDENS,
S.W. Private Feb.7.1916 My dear Lady Londonderry I have written Bonar
Law & asked him to
see Ld. Laurdadice with
a view to the Prime
Minister being approached
on behalf of Stanley. I did not know
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there was a vacancy. I see the late man
was a commoner.
I wonder why, I should
have thought Dorset
could produce
enough eligible Peers
for a selection to be
made from them. If there is no big
Liberal Peer in the
County, I should think Stanley ought to have
a good chance. Yours affect Edmund Talbot
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.
Lord Edmund Talbot (1855-1947), also known as Edmund Bernard Fitzalan-Howard, first
Viscount FitzAlan of Derwent, was a leading British politician and significant opponent
of Home Rule. He served as Conservative Whip from 1905 until 1913, as Unionist Chief
Whip from 1913 until 1921, and as Viceroy of Ireland from April 1921 until December
1922, the period in which Ireland underwent partition.
In this letter, Talbot informs Londonderry that he has written to Bonar Law (the Conservative
party leader) asking him to recommend an acquaintance for a position in government.
He expresses surprise that the previous holder of the position was 'a Commoner', suggesting
that there are plenty of eligible peers to choose from.