Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Lillian Spender, 7 December 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, D1633/1/1/92 https://letters1916.ie/item/4256 English Wilfrid Spender 1915-12-07 Lillian Spender Male World War I (1914-1918) World War I (1914-1918) Personal Relations

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 7 Dec 15 My fa2 No letter, & I wanted one so badly. I expect it is a case of Sunday posts, & hope most sincerely it does not mean a poor little pale animal with a very bad head—ache. I want to hear you are safely back from your Mission to the wild Irish, &to know you have not been knocked down by the wild sea horses or the other terrible animals you may have had to contend with! I have replied to Hugh's letter & suggested that the speech which he proposes Carm should make should be on these lines "Now that Irishmen & Englishmen & Scotsmen have shed their blood side by side in the cause of . . . . it is quite unthinkable that any one of them will wish to cut himself adrift from the other, or to found a separatist parliament!" I asked him whether he would approve & to say what the result would be in Ireland! I also pointed out that the principal points in the political fence from the Irish point of view had been 1) to pass Home rule after the war had begun (this I omitted) 2) to stop the temperance reform initiated by L G 3) to prevent any steps (last except an emasculated form of registration in Ulster) stop being taken in Ireland like the rest of the U K for Servia 4) to contribute the smallest possible numbers to the forcing of their coreligionist. I might have told him on the other hand what was done by the Ulster men who were fighting now against Germany who in former days they regarded as the brave ideal of Protestantism, but instead I tried an olive branch saying that I did think the religious divisions, which were an unhappy factor (tho' not the principal one) in the case were being broken down & reconnected here last Sunday our men who in the dark were marching through the streets singing hymns, hushed as they passed the RC church in service. Last night there was a great discussion between L Farnham on the one side &Singleton & Gus Nugent on the other as to whether the Irish were musical. I supported the former in saying they were naturally very musical tho' they were not good performers themselves either from lack of means or opportunity. S was very contemptuous & when I supported F was inclined to be rude about my qualifications. L F got very heated &I thought it a pity again that G N should as usual deny his countrymen, tho' it is of course quite reasonable for him to hold such a view. Unfortunately it is the rule with him to do so &I hear that he regretted that the 108th Bde should have got a GOC Griffith with Irish blood! What are your views about the Irish musical tastes?? H P left yesterday & I hear the men gave him quite a good send off &that he was much touched. I think they believe he had more to do with things in the past than was the case. This will, I fear lead to further distrust, &to less of the Ulster spirit, but the reconsti tution of the 108 &109 Bdes takes place on Friday, & the 16th under their new CO Ashton rejoins the latter, & the 11th their former 108 Bde. This will simplify your transactions as now there is one complete Bde 12th, with which you will have no dealings. I hope to get a 1/2 day out tomorrow &may perhaps visit Gen Rimington of the Indian Comt before he leaves. We expect to settle in to our new Corps next week without having to move just yet, but we are very much on the balance if anything turns up. I can so sympathiz with McPherson in having found himself dropped because he came out too late or too soon! Must end, but I still find the pr very troublesome persistent at night tho sometimes she is more helpful than troublesome. Wilfrid B Spender Your B W I meant to go to bed early but I see a chance of 10 mins peace & will begin a letter to you. 1st when you are working &have to consider not only your com— forts but also your health &work I want you to feel that I think it right for you to do things comfortably to travel 1st class &to take taxis. The time may come when we shall not be able to manager to do such things, but at present thanks to the rubber bounce we can quite well in spite of the fact that we are giving over 1/3rd of our income to the Government. If rubber continues over 3/— we shall actually be as well off this year as when the pr popped the bw into her burrow. Of course this cannot last, &after the war rubber will collapse with a pop — the market thinks so by the low price of shares —, but I want my pr not to be worn to a scarecrow whilst she is alone, but to have a nice little plump hug for the bw. You realise Matur's view & will I know do nothing to spoil the happiness you have been to her. I am writing this lest the pr may think she must try to hard to act up to the b'w's former instructions, &to please him by stinting her real requirements. By the way bw sounds uncommonly like bow wow! Just got your Belfast letter telling of a calm crossing to Ireland I do hope your return will be as good but we are having gales here & I hardly think it possible. I have got enough work on hand to keep me quite busy & have rather taken the bit in my teeth in regard to 2 jobs letting others correct, but doing the work myself first 7 Dec, HP learns today. I saw him yesterday & I fear had to fib. He said he was not sorry to leave, but I hastily changed the subject! The 108 & 109 are to rejuvenate to their old conditions, ie the 11 RIR goes back to the former & the 14th to the latter very shortly. I am very glad of this. A new Col has been appointed to the command of the 14thPhan inform Sir G. Col Ashton — I know nothing about him. You had perhaps better not know of the change of battalions in the committee till it is officially out tho' you can tell Lady that it is in the air. I had a rather angry letter from Hugh in answer to mine of on Redmond's speech, which I will forward later. Apparently my letter has been forwarded to J. Redmond!! It will do him good as I suggested he should be muzzled till the end of the war. Yes a Div has a rest camp of its own under one of the F Ambus at present the 109 F Am, but I should consult the OC FA before sending instru— ments. I'm not mute if I should appreciate music. Last night several bodies of our men were marching through the streets singing hymns & quite well. It was very dark or they would not have done it. Doesn't that prove the latent Covenant spirit? Longing to hear of your safe returns. I'm most anxious to keep you altogether! Says it is like having the b w in the house!!! Ever your b w Wilfrid B Spender Please thank Jon for his letter always welcome 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