Josephine Butler to Mrs Spence Watson

  • This material is held at
  • Reference
      GB 106 3JBL/40/21
  • Former Reference
      GB 106 4884
  • Dates of Creation
      15 Mar 1898
  • Physical Description
      1 item

Scope and Content

Written from Ewart Park, Wooler, Northumberland.

Differing opinion about Lady Henry has led to an acrimonious exchange of words between the two parties. Agrees with Mr Stuart when he says 'She cannot do us much or either good or harm for she has made such a fool of herself poor woman'. Afraid she cannot come to the Newcastle meeting in Apr: at the moment five people in the house in bed with influenza she cannot well leave the families of Stanley and George till after Easter.

Administrative / Biographical History

15 Mar [1898] No year given but letter deals with the disturbing affair of Lady Henry Somerset and her ill judged pronouncement declaring herself in favour of Regulation, this was in 1898.

'For many weeks I have been 'bothered out of my life' ... over this unlucky Lady H Somerset's affair ...' For outline of this see note letter of 26 Apr 1897

'For my own part I rejoiced in her climb down, tho' her recantation was clumsy'

See note given above. The date of the recantation was 8 Feb 1898 which gives the year date for this letter

'The two American ladies' These were Dr Bushnell and Mrs Andrew

'I have much work in London to do for this Federation Congress' This was the International Federation Congress held in London 12-15 Jul 1898

Biog: Mrs Spence Watson, Lady Henry Somerset, Dr Bushnell and Mrs Andrew, Hugh Price Hughes, Mrs Mawson