Mr W Martin Wood to Henry J Wilson

  • This material is held at
  • Reference
      GB 106 3JBL/36/46
  • Former Reference
      GB 106 4779; 125
  • Dates of Creation
      11 Nov 1896
  • Physical Description
      1 item

Scope and Content

Copy of letter. Written from 2 Gridlers Road, Brook Green, London

Mr Wood asks whether 'These wanton victims have ever been placed under any personal deterrent or any form of stoppage of pay or fines during the time they are incapacitated - I do not know whether this has ever been done'

Calls attention to 'the very serious extent of recrudescence of the disease since the new regulations were enforced stopping the so called protective regulations'. His own impression as to why the army doctors have allowed this unchecked extension of the plague is that 'they have purposely allowed the men to run riot by way of proving that fostering regulations are necessary. Suggested they should be challenged to refute this suspicion. [Comment on top of letter by Henry J Wilson 'Impracticable']

'I have Mr Walter McLaren's circular asking me to attend Conference at Birmingham'

This was a Conference of Repealers at Birmingham on 13 Nov 1896 to protest against any revival of the Contagious Diseases Acts. (Full account of this meeting in 'Sentinel' 18 Dec 1896 p 157)

Mr McLaren was Chairman of the British Committee.

Administrative / Biographical History

The following account of discipline under General Wolfe (1727-1759) is given by the reviewer of a recent life of the General Richard Garrett:

'Wolfe joined the army at 13 and made a name as a good staff officer and disciplinarian. He flogged readily; fined his soldiers for catching venereal disease, 6/- for syphilis, 4/- for gonorrhoea'

See TLS 16 Jan 1976 p 60. Review of 'General Wolfe' by Richard Garrett.

Biog: Sir James Stansfeld, Mr Walter McLaren, W Martin Wood