WHYTE'S THE HISTORY SALE TIMED ON-LINE AUCTION 1-11 NOVEMBER 2023

56 1911-1912 Pádraig Pearse correspondence concerning St Enda’s. An important collection of five autograph signed letters to his legal advisers, Gerrard & Co. of Westmoreland St., Dublin, 1911-1912, on headed Sgoil Éanna (St. Enda’s) paper, mostly concerning financial and/or legal matters arising from his plans for St. Enda’s, some illustrating Pearse’s chronic shortage of money. Mostly: 7 by 4in. (17.8 by 10.2cm) Provenance: Adam’s ‘The History Sale - Easter 2016’, 19 April 2016, Lot 72; Private collection. Condition: Very good. Details of the letters are as follows: 1. 24 February 1911, objecting to a clause in a contract. ‘I am surely entitled to the lands and to all profits and emoluments accruing from them as from August 1st. I accept the other figures and calculate that the amount due is therefore £92.4.1. P.S. - Please make out at once agreement for letting large lawn @ £57 from Mar. 1st to Feb. 1st, to Fallon, Rathfarnham, no responsibility for fencing etc. to be on me’. With a good signature. 2. 28 June 1911, enclosing Mr. MacManus’ letter: ‘I think you may go ahead on the strength of this, especially as I told Mr. MacManus some time ago that we were making an assignment to Mr. Dolan for the benefit of the two of them’ (Dolan and MacManus). This is probably the writer Seamus MacManus, one of the backers for St. Endas. With a good signature. 3. 19 Octpber 1911, a remarkable letter, (large sheet). ‘I enclose cheque £52.10.0 and bill signed at bottom. It is better that I should meet neither Vanston nor Farmer, as it would be difficult for me to restrain my inclination to assault them. I was very nearly assaulting Mr Vanston in a tramcar the other evening, but was restrained by respect for his years and feebleness. So I gravely acknowledged his salute instead’. With a bold signature, underscored. 4. 21 February 1912. ‘Mr. Vanston has written me that unless I let him have a cheque for £50 today he will at once issue writ for amt. of promissory note, costs, and interest. I cannot, unfortunately, let him have it today .. Could you ring up Vanston and Farmer and do your best to get them to agree to either of my proposals - (1) to renew the bill for a month, or (2) to wait until I can let them have the £50, which should not be very long. With a copy appended of Pearse’s letter to Vanston, explaining that money from his pupils is slow coming in, one mans little daughter is this week undergoing an operation in which her life trembles in the balance, & in the circumstances I do not care to write him’, etc. 5. 1st September 1912, 2 pp, saying he now has £225.10s. in cash and promises, and listing all those who served writs during last twelve months, including Farmer Bros. (Vanston, Solr.) and seven others, with reference numbers added in another hand. The amounts of the writs are not given here. ‘If all goes well tomorrow, it is essential that all creditors should have communication Tuesday morning, explaining the situation’. With a good signature, underscored. These letters appear to be unpublished, and some of the detailed information is new, particularly the list of writs outstanding (item 5). The threat of personal violence in item 3 is striking, coming from the usually urbane and unflappable Pearse. He never had the capital needed to establish St. Endas securely, and this letter vividly indicates his frustration. Messrs. Farmers were the builders making alterations at The Hermitage for St. Endas; Vanston was their solicitor. Estimate €3,000-€4,000 (approx £2,590-£3,450) Click here for more images and to bid on this lot 56 History 40