Josephine Butler to [Miss Priestman] 'Dear friend'

  • This material is held at
  • Reference
      GB 106 3JBL/14/05
  • Former Reference
      GB 106 3876
  • Dates of Creation
      8 Dec [1875]
  • Physical Description
      1 item

Scope and Content

Written from Liverpool. She thinks it best not to forward the resolution about 'The Shield' (see note) to Mr Shaen; and she will write to him and explain the reason. She and Mr Shaen both agree that a loss of £470 for the year on 'The Shield' should not be allowed to continue. The difficulty had been when the matter was brought up at the Committee (the National Committee in London) that Mme Venturi and Miss Lucy Wilson were both there and there was no opportunity of speaking when they were not present. She had explained the situation to Mr Stansfeld.

Administrative / Biographical History

'The Shield' official organ of the Repeal Societies in England, was first published in 1870. Mme Venturi took over the editorship in 1872. She retired in 1876. In the middle of 1875 there was a financial crisis. In a letter of 3 Jul 1875 Josephine Butler tells Mrs Wilson that she had just received a bill for £109, being the Ladies' National Association's share of the loss on 'The Shield', total loss for the year being £470. (See letters of 3 Jul 1875 and 7 Oct 1875). From this letter it appears that a Resolution was passed by the Ladies' National Association at Committee to be forwarded to the Central Office, that Mr Shaen had brought up the question himself at the Central Committee in London, but that owing to the close alliance between Mme Venturi and Miss Lucy Wilson, who were present at the Committee, Josephine Butler thought it wiser to defer the forwarding of the Resolution. She had also explained the situation to Mr Stansfeld. She would send Mr Shaen the Resolution when he again brought forward the subject. Date: This letter follows letters of 3 Jul 1875 & 7 Oct 1875, so would be the same year - 1875.

Biog: Mr Shaen; Mme Venturi; Miss Lucy Wilson; Mr Stansfeld.