Postcard from Major Francis Fletcher-Vane to Hanna Sheehy Skeffington, 25 July 1916
The dirty mean brutes who
do these things. I am writing
strongly to the authorities about
it. I am just going to the House.
I wish that you had a man
in the house, your brother or
brother in law, because from my
own experience as an eye witness
of some of their actions, I think
their capable of any caddishness. My love to Owen
Yours Francis Patrick Vane
of Hatton R.L.C.
S.W. 25.July 1916. 2 Mrs Sheehy Skeffington
43 Moyne Road
Ranelagh
Dublin
Ireland.
Postcard from Major Francis Fletcher-Vane (1861-1934) to Hanna Sheehy Skeffington (1877-1946) expressing his concern for Hanna. Vane writes that he wished Hanna had a man in the house as he thinks some people capable of any 'cadishness'. Before signing off he sends his love to Hanna's son Owen. Major Sir Francis Patrick Fletcher-Vane was a British officer in command of Portobello Barracks. When he learned about the activities of Captain J.C.Bowen-Colthurst during Easter Week he reported the matter to his superiors but, sensing a cover-up, he went to London and reported it directly to Lord Kitchener and Maurice Bonham Carter, Private Secretary to the Prime Minister. Although Bowen-Colthurst was court-martialled and found guilty, Vane was 'retired' from the military for his actions. Hanna Sheehy Skeffington (1877-1946), 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.
How to cite
Letters 1916, published by the Austrian Centre for Digital Humanities, Vienna, 2026 (https://letters1916static.github.io/letters1916-static/item__3780.html)
- Mentioned in
-
- Postcard from Major Francis Fletcher-Vane to Hanna Sheehy Skeffington, 25 July 1916
- Note from Major Francis Fletcher-Vane to Hanna Sheehy Skeffington, 16 May 1916
- Note from Major Francis Fletcher-Vane to Hanna Sheehy Skeffington, 19 May 1916
- Note from Major Francis Fletcher-Vane to Hanna Sheehy Skeffington, 21 May 1916
- Letter from Major Francis Fletcher-Vane to Hanna Sheehy Skeffington, 7 June 1916
- Letter from Major Francis Fletcher-Vane to Hanna Sheehy Skeffington, 28 July 1916
- Letter from Major Francis Fletcher-Vane to Hanna Sheehy Skeffington, 20 July 1916
- Letter from Major Francis Fletcher-Vane to Hanna Sheehy Skeffington, 17 July 1916
- Letter from Francis Fletcher-Vane to Joseph Cyrillus Walsh, 23 June 1917
- Place
- 43 Moyne Road, Rnaelagh, Dublin, Ireland
- Mentioned in
- Postcard from Major Francis Fletcher-Vane to Hanna Sheehy Skeffington, 25 July 1916