Mrs Elizabeth Andrew to 'Dear Friend' [Miss Forsaith]

  • This material is held at
  • Reference
      GB 106 3JBL/39/29
  • Former Reference
      GB 106 4862
  • Dates of Creation
      17 Feb 1898
  • Physical Description
      1 item

Scope and Content

Written from 39 Scarisbrick New Road, Southport.

Excuses her for not writing before by pressure of correspondence; the last typist sent them was a failure and he had to go; Dr Bushnell feels it is more that she does with her journalistic experience. Asks her to answer Mrs Booth's letter about the Conference at which she unfortunately could not be present, and suggests literature to send to her. Thinks they ought to cultivate the Army all they can. They understood that JB 'wrote an exceedingly straight letter to Lady Henry some time ago' Surprised at Miss Lees' [of Edinburgh] warmth about their meeting in Edinburgh, though they heard that 'she considered Lady H's retraction 'quite unsatisfactory'. Things look rather gloomy for their meeting at Southport, because the BWTA have arranged to hold three other meetings that night at the same hour'. Mr and Mrs Coade have arranged through the Church of England chaplain or them to hold a big meeting with the Curragh, on Saturday night 26 Feb.

Administrative / Biographical History

'The meeting at Rochdale the night before last [15 Feb] which was one of the very best we ever had in any country or under any circumstances.' For note of this meeting see letter of Feb. 12 written before the meeting.

'I enclose a nice letter from Mrs Booth ... We do desire to bind her to our Cause as closely as possible ... I feel strongly impressed that we ought to cultivate the Army all we can.' This was Mrs Bramwell Booth who had married General Booth's eldest son. JB held the same opinion as Mrs Andrew about the value of the Army to the Cause (see her letter of 3 Mar 1893, when Mr and Mrs Bramwell Booth offered their services to the Repeal Cause. Also letter of 1 Mar 1898 JB to the Miss Priestmans telling them that Mrs Booth had asked for 1000 copies of the Jan Storm Bell, 1st no., for her Salvation Army Captain.

'You ask about how to send literature to Mrs Edwin Cole.'

I wed at Montreal, Canada.

Her letter to JB of 2 Nov 1897 expressed her disgust of the WWCTU at their Congress at Ontario, for re-electing Lady Henry Somerset as Vice President (Mrs Cole resigned from it at once). In her letter of 22 Dec 1897 she said how anxious she was to work for the anti-Regulationists and would be glad of some literature.

'We learn ... that the ladies of Edinburgh had a very good meeting the day before yesterday ... Dr Agnes McLaren was there and talked well and dear Miss Wigham was present.'

The Shield of Mar 1898, p 86 gives an account of this meeting: the meeting on the 15th 'was presided over by Mrs Nairn, and attended by a crowded audience of ladies of education and position. The interest was very great. Dr Agnes McLaren was present and gave much information ... a petition was agreed to and signed by the lady presiding and was sent for presentation to Sir Lewis McIver MP for North Edinburgh.'

'We were astonished at Miss Lees warmth in the matter [of the meeting at Edinburgh] for she wrote Mrs Gledstone an almost contemptuous letter in regard to the 'Call to duty' and we had understood was a defender of Lady H.' (However we have heard that she considered Lady H's retraction quite unsatisfactory.' This was a letter dated 8 Jan 1898 signed by 30 active members of the BWTA and entitled 'A Call to Duty'.

The complete text was published in the 'Shield' Feb 1898 p.77.

Mrs Louisa Gledstone was one of the signatories.

Lady H's letter of retraction dated 27 Jan from Eastnor Castle was addressed to Lord George Hamilton, appeared in some of the daily papers of 8 Feb and was printed in the 'Shield' of Mar 1898, p.88.

'Miss Wigham was present looking, she said 'etheriel' [sic] like a lovely vision.'

Miss Wigham of Edinburgh, a lifelong supporter of the Abolitionist Causes, died at the end of 1899. (See Biog. Index).

'We feel that things look rather gloomy ... for our meeting here next Sunday night [20 Feb] at 8 o'clock; for the BTWA have arranged to hold three other meetings that night at the same hour.'

See letters of 21 and 22 Jan from Mrs Andrew and Dr Bushnell about arrangements being made at Southport for the big Sunday meeting.

Biog: Dr Bushnell and Mrs Andrew, Miss Blanche Wright, Mrs Bramwell Booth, Mrs Maggie Edwards Cole, Miss Macdonald of Perth, Miss Lees of Edinburgh, Dr Agnes McLaren, Miss Wigham, Miss Brice, Miss Annie Smith