1
Ballymahon
Co. Longford 11th Dec February 1916 Dear Mrs Skeffington, A friend having heard of
"The great scourge & how to end it" - by
Christabel Pankhurst has asked me to
get it. And I would feel much obliged
if you would send it to me. I enclose
1/4 - I think that is the price with postage.
I would also be glad if you could let
me have a list of books in the
League library for sale or lending as
it is difficult to get in touch with
suffrage activities down here. If you
cannot let me have a list, please
give me short one. Hoping you are very well & with
best wishes. Yours very sincerely Brigid Flood P.S.
I understand
you have not
charge of the
library but I
I don't know
who has. So
I hope I am
not inconveniencing
you in asking
you.
B. F.
In this letter Brigid Flood writes to Hanna Sheehy Skeffington (1877 - 1946) in order
to secure a copy of "The Great Scourge and How to End It" by Christable Pankhurst
for a friend. Flood also requests a list of books in the League's library as it is
difficult to keep up to date with suffrage activities down in Longford. In this case
the League refers to the Irish Women's Franchise League founded in 1908 to express
a public manifestation of women’s discontent and radical feminism in Ireland under
the leadership of Hanna and Francis Sheehy-Skeffington and Margaret Cousins.
The book which Flood has requested was written by Pankhurst (1880 - 1958) and outlined
how, in a male-dominated society, where women were kept in a state of subservience
and economic dependence, the social evil of prostitution was the fruit of women's
slavery.
Hanna Sheehy Skeffington, suffragette, nationalist, language teacher, was the widow
of Francis Sheehy-Skeffington (who was summarily executed on 26 April 1916). She was
active during the Rising, bringing food to the Volunteers in the G.P.O. and the College
of Surgeons. Four days passed before she found out what had happened to her husband,
Francis (1878-1916), and it wasn't until almost two weeks later that the full details
of his execution emerged.