Josephine Butler to [unknown]

  • This material is held at
  • Reference
      GB 106 3JBL/42/60
  • Former Reference
      GB 106 4605
  • Dates of Creation
      c.28 Jun 1899
  • Physical Description
      1 item

Scope and Content

Fragment (last page only). Written from Eversley, Balham (Mrs de Selincourt's,home). No date but written between White Slave Traffic Conference (referred to usually by JB as the 'Traffic meeting') of 21-23 Jun and the LNA meeting of 3 Jul and before the letter of JB to Miss Forsaith of 1 Jul about the Resolutions mentioned here.

She has been hearing about the 'Traffic' Meeting from the foreign delegates (Abolitionists) who attended. Such a scene! Berenger (French) attacked all the Swiss, and attacked all her friends. 'He behaved shamefully'. Finally he was beaten and went away without taking leave of any who had opposed him.

JB then appends three Resolutions for their LNA Meeting.

Administrative / Biographical History

'You were not at the Friday's 'Traffic meeting'. Such a scene!' This was the meeting on the last day of the White Slave Traffic Conference, Friday 23 Jun, when Mr Bérenger showed up as a true Regulationist, as JB had said he would [see letters of 18 and 21 Apr (postcard), 22 May]. 'He [Bérenger] behaved shamefully and insulted Mme de Tscharner and de Meuron'

'The 'Shield' and the Vigilance paper will have careful official reports but I shall speak out in the Storm Bell.' See 'Storm Bell' 'The White Slave Traffic', Jul 1899, p 216. Also article entitled 'Which are the greatest criminals?' written just before the Conference - see 'Storm Bell' May 1899, p 179.

'and possibly suggesting memorial to the Viceroy from our society. He is at present ordering an enquiry into an awful wickedness among our soldiers' Lord Curzon was appointed Viceroy in 1899; resigned in 1905 following a controversy with Kitchener. He was the inaugurator of various reforms. 'the awful wickedness among our soldiers' was headlined in the papers as 'the Rangoon Outrage'. See letter with note, 12 Jun 1899, JB to Mr Gregory.

Lord Curzon from the moment he landed in India started on a reforming and liberal based career.

In his first year he had to deal with the 'Rangoon outrage'

(See letter and note of 22 Jun 1899 JB to Mr Gregory, and an article which appeared in the 'Storm Bell' of Jul 1899, pp 202-6.)

The DNB comments as follows:

'[Lord Curzon] demonstrated by his firm attitude in the Rangoon outrage of the following Sep [1899] when he risked the resentment of the British military circles by publicly disgracing a regiment in which an assault upon a native woman had occurred'

Biog: Senator Bérenger, Mme de Tscharner, M. de Meuron, The Viceroy, Lord Curzon, Mr Tamin, Kate Bushnell and Mrs. Andrew