1
33 Victoria Terrace
Leeds. 10 3 16 Dear Mrs Sheehy Skeffington. From the bottom of my heart I
offer you sympathy in this hour of your
terrible trial. It must be nearly ten years
since I met you andand your brave
husband in your own home; but I have
always cherished the memory of that visit
and have read with aviditywhatever
I have seen regarding his activities. The lengthening list of Irish martyrs
includes none whose vision was
clearer regarding our unfortunate
country's needs. Yours sincerely
T Russell Williams
Letter from Thomas Russell Williams (1869 – 1926) to Hanna Sheehy Skeffington (1877-1946)
expressing condolences in regards to the death of Hanna's husband, Francis. He writes
of his respect for Francis and his fond memories of their time together.
Thomas Russell Williams was a British socialist politician and member of the Labour
Party.
Hanna Sheehy Skeffington, suffragette, nationalist, language teacher, was the founder
of the Irish Women’s Franchise League and a founding member of the Irish Women Workers’
Union. She 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.