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WHYTESS I N C E 1 7 8 3
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243
circa 1916: Mark VI Webley British Army Revolver
Mark VI Webley Revolver made by P. Webley & Son, Birmingham. Date
serial number and other issuing and proof marks pitted. Found in Dublin
in the 1920s this type of revolver used by the British Army during the
First World War period and also by Irish Volunteers during the War of
Independence.
€200-€300 (£167-£250 approx)
244
20th Century: Militaria collection including bayonet, bandolier, belt
and Irish Army badge
Spanish M.1941 Mauser Bayonet with leather frog attached to a
bandolier. Also with a brown belt with cast Irish Army FF badge buckle
attached, another black belt with FF badge (3 items)
€100-€200 (£83-£167 approx)
245
1917: Irish Volunteers Lee Enfield .303 MkIII rifle
Short Magazine Lee-Enfield No. 1 Mk. III bolt action rifle. Complete with
wooden stock and magazine. With 1917 date mark and maker’s mark of
the Birmingham Small Arms Company. Completely deactivated with
firing pin cut. Reputedly captured by Irish Volunteers during a raid on
the Royal Irish Constabulary Barracks, Abbey Square, Enniscorthy and
used during the War of Independence and Civil War.
Provenance:
Martin Doyle, Irish Volunteers; Thence by descent
€250-€350 (£208-£292 approx)
246
1916 (25 April) Irish Times Rising special extra issues
The two editions of the Irish Times issued on 25 April, 1916. The first 8pp
with a full report of events and was withdrawn on government orders at
8 a.m. The second 6pp excludes all the reports but includes two
government proclamations with a brief statement “Sinn Féin Rising in
Dublin...the authorities have taken active & energetic measures to deal
with the situation.” Also with a small notice from the Manager of the
Irish Times stating that “Permission to issue this paper was withdrawn at
8 a.m. on Tuesday, 25th April, 1916.” The paper subsequently issued to
the public on that day was considerably reduced. Scarce.
€1,500-€2,000 (£1,250-£1,667 approx)
247
1916-22: Fingal Brigade I.R.A. receipt for commandeered shotgun
Mimeograph, manuscript.
Receipt issued by ‘Headquarters’ Fingal Brigade’ to Mr. James Griffen of
Balcunnin Skerries for one double barrel shotgun. Initialled by the
Brigade Adjutant 6.25 x 8in. (15.88 x 20.32cm)
€150-€200 (£125-£167 approx)
248
1916 (28 April) Rising military travel pass from Northumberland Road
Manuscript. Military travel pass written on a piece of paper from an
army notepad and signed by a Second Lieutenant in the 2/6th Battalion
North Staffordshire Regiment. Allowing Joseph H. Montgomery to go
from St. Mary’s Road to Northumberland Road for one day. Two days
earlier the battle of Mount Street Bridge had taken place on the same
road. See lots 290 & 291. 6 x 4.50in. (15.24 x 11.43cm)
€100-€150 (£83-£125 approx)
249
1916 Rising: Dublin Metropolitan Police travel pass from Kingstown
to Dublin
Mimeograph, manuscript. A DMP permanent pass issued to Mr. Stuart of
14 Mountpelier Parade, Blackrock. With original signature and stamp of
the Assistant Provost Marshal on reverse, dated 12 May 1916. This pass
was issued to William B Stuart a solicitor, who lived with his family at
the aforementioned address. 5 x 4in. (12.70 x 10.16cm)
€150-€200 (£125-£167 approx)
250
1916 Rising: Sinn Féin Rebellion Handbook “Easter 1916” Edition
Letterpress, 248 pp. Scarce first edition of this useful reference work. Full
of details relating to the Rising with lists of casualties, prisoners, and
other participants, well illustrated. Published by the Weekly Irish Times.
10 x 6.25in. (25.40 x 15.88cm)
€100-€150 (£83-£125 approx)
251
A similar lot to 250.
€150-€250 (£125-£208 approx)
252
1916 (13 May to 4 July). An extraordinary correspondence re: Pádraig
Pearse’s Life Assurance Policy.
Correspondence between The Hibernian Bank (now incorporated in the
Bank of Ireland Group), Dublin, and Sun Life Assurance Society, London
(now incorporated in Royal Sun Alliance Insurance Group). Pearse
apparently gave his insurance policy as security for a loan of about £663
(approximately €100,000 in today’s terms) from The Hibernian Bank. On
10 May, a week to the day of Pearse’s execution the bank wrote to Sun
Life to make a claim on the policy (this letter referred to but missing
from the archive). A Sun Life actuary replied on 13 May -”inform me
whether the Life Assured was identical with the PH Pearse recently shot
after trial by Court Martial”.
On 31 May Sun Life claim “the circumstances under which [Pearse] met
his death rendered...the policy void”. However “desirous of dealing with
the case in a liberal spirit” Sun Life offered an ex-gratia payment not
exceeding the surrender value of the policy (£42.3s.0d). Hibernian Bank
queried the condition under which the policy was void, and Sun Life
replied there was no condition but under Common Law if the Assured is
“ killed in a duel, or feloniously destroys himself, or dies by the hand of
the common hangman, or public executioner, the Policy is void”.
The bank took legal opinion from D. & T. Fitzgerald Solicitors of St.
Andrew’s Street - Charles Hoey and R.A. Andrews, partners - who
rejected Sun Life’s position. The solicitors, on 8 June 1916, suggest a
compromise whereby Sun Alliance would pay out provided the money
was only applied to the debt owed by Pearse. On 10 June the bank
furnishes details of the debt. It is noted that the bank has the deeds of
Cullenswood House (home of St. Enda’s School, which Pearse founded
and ran) - “The bank regard these premises as practically valueless as
security. A sale was attempted some time ago but proved abortive. The
alterations made by Mr Pearse, to adapt the premises for a school,
render them quite unsuitable as a dwelling”.
Sun Life eventually - and possibly under pressure from the Bank, who
would have been major brokers for the insurance company, or even
exposure in the nationalist press for their niggardly behaviour over a
patriot’s death - to pay Hibernian Bank the “Sum Assured and Bonuses”
but “not to allow any proceeds to benefit the Estate of the Life Assured”.
Thus Pearse’s mother and family were not to receive a penny from Sun
Life.
After some to-ing and fro-ing in an exchange of several letters
Hibernian Bank agreed, on 26 June, to repay any surplus, after recalling
other securities and guarantees (including one from Pearse’s mother),
directly back to Sun Life. On 30 June the Bank received £329.16s.4d in
settlement of the policy. Here the correspondence ends a squalid dispute
between two financial institutions over the estate of the dead patriot,
who, before his death, was a valued customer of both.
€2,000-€3,000 (£1,667-£2,500 approx)
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