Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 19 November 1915 Letters 1916-1923 Wilfrid Spender

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Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender (1876 - 1960) to his wife, Lillian (1880-1968). Spender was a member of the British Army until 1913 when controversy surrounding his signature of the Ulster Solemn League and Covenant resulted in his resignation. Spender was called up for military service in 1914 and from 1915 served in the 36th (Ulster) Division. Throughout the war, Spender wrote a collection of letters to his wife Lady Lillian Spender. The letters date mainly from 1915 to 1918, when Sir Wilfrid was serving in France. The letters concern politics, the Irish question, personal life, and Wilfrid's experience of the Great War."

 Public Record Office of Northern Ireland Letters from Sir Wilfrid Spender to Lady Spender, D1633/1/1/66 https://letters1916.ie/item/4227 English Wilfrid Spender 1915 Lillian Spender Male 1960 World War I (1914-1918) World War I (1914-1918) Industry and Public Administration Personal Relations

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 Nov. 19th My dear PR. Don't read this aloud till you have read it through See how you've grown thanks to your recent experiences. So you have decided ! It has just got to be a success & you & Mrs Borton are 2 excellent pullers if you don't fall out, & begin kicking at the traces. Any how I back the p r , & as we haven't done much for charity this year when formerly it has been a golden rule to give 1/10th the little pr may take her pen & write quickly her biggest cheque , & put 100 as Capt & Mrs WBS ! contribution to the fund. Do it as unostentatiously as you can. I'm afraid I take an added pleasure in this in putting you a little bit more in your right position in the matter, & perhaps in letting the others see that they must do their bit. Please do not mention this in either family. If you can't enter it in the funds yourself give it to Lady C after the next meeting or send it by post now. Now as to advice: 1/ How would it be if you ran over to Ireland? Not very nice just this time of year & rather expensive but it might be well to have a confab with some of the local people & see how they intend working. & whether you are to be a separate organization independent& but mutually helping, or to work more intimately together. If you go over I suggest you ask Mrs Sclater or someone you know well to take you in so that you may not actually be staying with those running the show (? Mrs Wheeler). 2) Can you get your father to advise you how to get wholesale terms i e to get recognized as an agency. If you have difficulty in this write, using my name, to Mr James Cunningham Belfast & consult him. I think do so in any case as there are local firms Gallahers tobacco Marsh biscuit Haylet supply etc who should give their help gratis, if only in memory of my Supply Committee days. I am sure it will be wise to take time & get your ground work on to a satisfactory basis. Don't let the use Harrods or some big stores simply because it makes things so much easier. It is just possible that Jessie's brother might suggest someone who could act as packer in his spare time , but this would probably make too much of a demand on your organization at present. Write to Sir George & say what you are doing & that I thought he might possibly have at his office a spare typewriter machine ,& if so could he let you have the loan of it. Get carbon sheets & make copies of all your letters. I rather hope Oive & Ivy will come & help you occasionally but at present it is of course impossible while they have other duties of flat hunting. You are all having a rather exciting time. I have a suggestion to make &that is that you should speak to Jessie & ask her first & if she agrees ask Mater whether you can have the use of the study as your private room whilst you are there so that you can keep your papers etc in the desk. I am sure when she understands your work she will be glad to do this. I think you ought to offer to pay for the fire, & if you(r) stop on long I should like to settle up for your keep generally. She may decline but I hope not if you stay for any length of time, as she allowed Mab to contribute earlier. As to your future I expect you still feel that your own flat would be best especially with the 2 maids in view. Otherwise it might really be worth while considering whether you would not stay on at 24 in which case the study would be essential, & perhaps you might then move from the spare room to my old room. I am not giving this as a hint as to my wishes, only as a possibility if you find flat hunting & house management too much to undertake in present conditions. You will probably find the old system of filing all right except that instead of the letters ABC you may find a reference by battalions etc more useful. This you could paste over. If you can give Mater any work I am sure she would appreciate it & it would be good for her, but it must be simple & if it worries her she must give it up. do not choose anything which needs constant reference to you but something which she alone, or with Jessie could quite well undertake. Mater had promised us the desk in the study, but I am not very willing to deprive the study of it permanently. I am sure however you could very well ask for it for your office if you would find it useful, & you must get yourself comfortably settled if you are to do proper good work, & if you want to be able to show what you can do without expense to your funds. Your committee will not all of them be a help, I expect, but it will be a case of an inner cabinet. Mrs B will be a little restive at helping unless she is on the Committee, I fancy but I should try & get her on later after she has shown what she can do. Let her position as assist Hony Secybe quite clear from the first. If Lady Lonsdale's figures are as accurate as Sir John's were ! you would soon be in a mess. Later on you will have reason to rejoice that you are an HonySecy make this clear from the start to any who try the "our Secy touch". Very little news of my own. I shall be out all day with the Gen' & unable to write. I have had a morning to myself ie without the R s for 2 1/2 hours almost for the first time & tho' of course constantly interrupted it has been the freest time I have had, so that I have been able to dictate a long letter which I hope may be of some use. Thanks for the Castlefield Report. That Rubber should boom is a most unexpected surprise, & tho' we must not expect it to continue after the war when people with motors will be far fewer than before, it will help both us & the Govt to tide over the bad times in store later if we act wisely. Must end now, best of luck & some love for my p r Your own B W WBS. PS. Tho' I give the names of OC battns never address personal letters but always write to O.C. You have a better chance of getting an answer. Wilfrid Spender Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 2 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 7 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 11 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender. 13 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 2 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender, 18 August 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, circa June 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 11 June 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 15 June 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 17 June 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 27 June 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 27 June 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 3 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 6 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to Lady Lillian Spender, 28 July 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 6 August 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 19 August 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 23 August 1916Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 13 December 1915Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 15 December 1915Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 15 December 1915Letter from Sir Wilfrid Spender to his wife Lady Lillian Spender, 16 December 1915Letter from Captain Wilfrid Spender to Colonel James Craig, 4 July 1916Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 4 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 5 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 8 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to his family, 8 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 9 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 10 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 10 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 11 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 12 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 14 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to family, 14 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 15 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 16 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to family, 17 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 17 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 19 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to family, 20 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to family, 21 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, circa November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 22 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to family, 22 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 26 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender, circa November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender, circa November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 27 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 27 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 28 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to family, 27 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 29 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 30 November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, circa November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, circa November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, circa November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 1 December 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 2 December 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to family, 3 December 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 3 December 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 4 December 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 5 December 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 7 December 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 8 December 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 10 December 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 13 December 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 12 December 1915Note from Wilfrid Spender, circa December 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 1 April 1916Note from Wilfrid Spender, circa April 1916Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 2 April 1916Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 3 April 1916Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 4 April 1916Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 5 April 1916Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 6 April 1916Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 7 April 1916Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 8 April 1916Note from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, circa April 1916Letter from Wilfrid Spender to family, 9 April 1916Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 9 April 1916Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 10 April 1916Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 11 April 1916Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 12 April 1916Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 13 April 1916Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 13 April 1916Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 14 April 1916Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Edward Carson, 25 November 1915Letter Wilfrid Spender to Edward Carson, 3 December 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Alberta Percival, 25 March 1922Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Ernest Clark, 28 March 1922Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Henry Wilson, 28 March 1922Letter from Wilfrid Spender to the Ministry of Home Affairs, 20 June 1922Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Henry Wilson, 22 March 1922