WHYTE'S THE ECLECTIC COLLECTOR 15/16 MAY 2021

57 THE ECLECTIC COLLECTOR - TIMED ON-LINE AUCTION 1 MAY - 15/16 MAY 2021 1916 Rising 131 James Connolly. Signed and inscribed copy of his book, Labour in Irish History, 1910. Published by Maunsel, Dublin, 1910. Inscribed in Connolly’s hand “To Thomas Johnson in comradeship from the author, James Connolly, Nov 3/10”. Further inscription: 1967- September-28. To Ina, daughter of James Connolly in loving memory of her Father and my work with him. We are ships that pass in the night and speak each other in the passing”, Marie J. Johnson” and in another hand “To my dear son Brian. May he always be guided by his grandfather the author, loving mother Ina Connolly Heron”, 15-1-70. Condition: Original blue cloth gilt, covers shook and bumped, archival tape repair to flyleaf and title page, and rear of title page, otherwise good. Provenance: James Connolly to Thomas Johnson; Thence to his wife Marie Johnson; Thence to James Connolly’s daughter, Ina Connolly Heron; Thence to James Connolly’s grandson Brian Connolly Heron; Thence to the present owner. Born in Liverpool, Tom Johnson worked on the docks for an Irish fish merchant, spending much of his time in Dunmore East and Kinsale. He joined in 1893 a Liverpool branch of the Independent Labour Party. In 1903 he moved with his family to Belfast where he became involved in trade union and labour politics.In 1907 Johnson helped James Larkin organise a strike in Belfast port. At various times he was the president, treasurer and secretary of the Irish Trades Union Congress. Johnson became Vice-president of TUC in 1913, and President in 1915. Johnson sympathized with the Irish Volunteers, many of whom were sacked from their jobs, for illegal activities. He succeeded as leader of the Labour Party from 1917, when the party did not contest the 1918 general election. When the British government tried to enforce conscription in Ireland in 1918, Johnson led a successful strike in conjunction with other members of the Irish anti-conscription movement. He was elected a TD for Dublin County to the Third Dáil at the 1922 general election and remained leader of the Labour Party until 1927. As such, he was Leader of the Opposition in the Dáil of the Irish Free State, as the anti-treaty faction of Sinn Féin refused to recognise the Dáil as constituted. Johnson is the only Leader of the Labour Party who served as Leader of the Opposition in the Dáil. He lost his Dáil seat at the September 1927 general election, and the following year he was elected to Seanad Éireann, where he served until the Seanad’s abolition in 1936. In 1898 he married Marie Tregay, from Cornwall, whose inscription is in the book as Marie Johnson. Their only son born in 1899, Thomas James Frederick, became a well-known actor. Each Summer, Labour Youth holds the “Tom Johnson Summer School” to host panel discussions, debates and workshops. Estimate €2,000-€3,000 (approx £1,740-£2,610) Click here for more images and to bid on this lot 131