Desmond Greaves’s Research Correspondence re James Connolly’s Birthplace and British Army Service

[Editor’s Note: In his biography, The Life and Times of James Connolly, C. Desmond Greaves (1913-1988) established that Connolly was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, rather than in Co. Monaghan, Ireland, as had previously been generally thought. He also showed that Connolly had served in the British Army as a teenager, and his book gives much new information on Connolly’s political activity in Scotland, Ireland and the USA.  This Connolly biography, first published in 1961, has been in print continually since.

As well as the many Notebooks in which he kept records of his interviews and other research material, Desmond Greaves kept copies of many of the letters that he sent to people in the course of his research for his biographies of Connolly, Liam Mellows and Sean O’Casey. There must be a thousand or so such letters in the Greaves documentary archive. The letters that passed between him and Connolly’s Edinburgh contemporaries, Charles Geddes and  H.A.Scott, as well as those he exchanged with General Sir Hubert Gough, Captain C. Baker of the King’s Liverpool Regiment Comrades’ Association, the War Office, Desmond Ryan, John Mullery and Ina Connolly-Heron relating to Connolly’s birthplace and teenage British Army service are reproduced below for the information of those interested. 

All of Desmond Greaves’s research material on Connolly – his letters, notebooks with interviews etc., and his index to the notebooks – as well as the original of his two-million-word Journal, is being deposited by his literary executor in the National Library of Ireland during 2025, as was Greaves’s wish.

In writing on James Connolly Desmond Greaves had the advantage of having the co-operation of the members of the Connolly family, but in particular his daughter Ina Connolly-Heron. Another daughter, Fiona Connolly-Edwards, typed the full biography, originally written in longhand, for the printer.  He also had the advantage of being able to interview some of Connolly’s youthful contemporaries in 1880s Edinburgh, in particular John Conlon and Charles Geddes. It was Conlon, a friend of James Connolly’s older brother John, who told Greaves that Connolly was born in the Cowgate, Edinburgh – which the birth certificate then confirmed – and also that Connolly served in the British army as a teenager, but that he had joined the army under a false name. Conlon also told him that the relevant regiment was the King’s Liverpool. Another informant, to whom Connolly spoke of his youthful army service, was John Mullery, who was a member of Connolly’s Irish Socialist Republican Party in Dublin in 1898 and later interacted with Connolly when they both lived in New York. Mullery lived a few miles from Desmond Greaves on Merseyside as an old man, and they met on several occasions. 

The letters that passed between Greaves and his informants relating to Connolly’s birthplace and army service are reproduced below.  

In two articles in the “Irish Democrat”, one in the March 1951 issue and the other published on the centenary of Connolly’s birth in 1968, Greaves describes how John Conlon told him about Connolly’s Edinburgh birthplace. These two articles are reproduced as the previous item in this sub-section, dealing with Connolly, of the Greaves Archive website. Greaves did not mention Conlon as referring to Connolly’s British army service in these articles, or that the relevant regiment was the King’s Liverpool; but these points are referred to in his Journal and in the letters reproduced below.

As James Connolly joined the British Army under a false name, direct documentary evidence from army records is unobtainable. There is however oral history, and the circumstantial and inferential evidence is convincing. Desmond Greaves refers to Connolly’s army service in the last paragraph of Chapter 1 of The Life and Times of James Connolly. He gives there what is by any standard a judicious historical assessment: 

“The fact of Connolly’s army service is attested in several ways. His adoption of a pseudonym rules out direct documentary proof. But there is ample evidence from the statements of contemporaries in Edinburgh, oblique references in his correspondence, his own statements to such friends as Mullery, the authority of Larkin, the surprising knowledge of Cobh he showed in an emergency in 1911, and finally his military proficiency. The evidence is part personal testimony, part inferential, but provides an intelligent, coherent picture, leaving little of importance to be explained.” And Greaves concludes: “Those who reject this must tell us what else he was doing.”

Volume 12 of Desmond Greaves’s two-million-word-Journal mentions Connolly’s wife Lillie Reynolds, his daughter Ina, William O’Brien, Danny McDevitt, Peadar O’Donnell, Desmond Ryan, James Larkin, Michael Price, John Leslie and John Mullery as all referring either directly or indirectly to Connolly’s British army service. The relevant Journal excerpts referring to this are reproduced below. Interested people can see from these excerpts and the letters that passed between Desmond Greaves and some of Connolly’s contemporaries and others that follow how Greaves came to his conclusions regarding these aspects of Connolly’s biography, and how those conclusions are wholly justified unless and until contrary evidence emerges.

Desmond Greaves remarks in his Table-Talk that the most important thing that one should learn at school was how to write a letter; for in a letter one is presenting oneself to others. His own personality comes through clearly in his letters and they contain much interesting material. A selection from them will doubtless be published sometime. The letters below are the first to be published from Desmond Greaves’s voluminous private correspondence. They amount to some 80 pages of  A4 text.]

Mentions of James Connolly’s teenage British Army service in Vol. 12 of Desmond Greaves’s Journalcovering the period 12 Sept.1956 – 10 June 1957:

Meeting with Ina Connolly [Ina Connolly-Heron, 1896-1980, one of James Connolly’s daughters]: “We then discussed the army service question.  She is convinced that James met Lillie [i.e. his wife Lillie Reynolds]while in the British army in Dublin. Indeed on a previous occasion she spoke of his being in Portobello Barracks. I well recall her start of surprise when a few years ago I asked her if she had ever heard he was in the army. Monteith [i.e. Captain Monteith, a friend of Roger Casement] had told her that the King’s Liverpool was the only likely regiment when she enquired of him. . . Her sole reliance as far as army service evidence was concerned was a conversation at Arklow with Bill O’Brien and her mother. They told her that the fact that James was in the army was suppressed for fear that Sinn Fein would not trust him. She could not understand this, since the Fenians were in it. I thought more likely it was his [i.e. William O’Brien’s] way of leaving what he wished suppressed and not on account of the Sinn Fein.” [entry for 13 September 1956]

Meeting with Danny McDevitt [1869-1961, Belfast associate of Connolly’s]:  In 1912 John Connolly from Edinburgh [i.e. James Connolly’s brother] visited Belfast. McDevitt had long talks with him. He told him James was born in Edinburgh and that their youth was spent in extremely harsh conditions. McDevitt was not surprised that Connolly was in the Army. He thought John had said so, but Peadar O’Donnell who had also toyed with the idea of writing a life of Connolly had definitely told him as much. Perhaps O’Donnell secured his information from William O’Brien. It is surprising how many have shied from demolishing the legend!  McDevitt commented upon Connolly’s “soldierly neatness”, his military walk, always straight as a poker despite a slight bandyness of the legs. He was equally methodical in his work. He certainly gave the impression of a man who had military training.  [entry for 20 September 1956]  

Meeting with Peadar O’Donnell [1893-1986]: [He said] “I’m going to write a book, ‘Connolly in Irish history’.” I told him about mine and it was immediately apparent he knew already. He enquired about Connolly’s birthplace, what regiment of the British Army he was in, and conducted a regular cross-examination in his way. I was frank with him. Why not? He said that some of Connolly’s opponents in Dublin used to shout after him and called him the “bandy-legged militiaman”. Bill O’Brien knew he was in the army. Connolly told him he was, although sensitive about it. But why should he be? But when I said he enlisted under a false name, he swung round with, “Then there is no documentary evidence of his having been in the Army?” From then on he was all for suppressing every word of it, and added that he strongly advised me not to have Ina Connolly write an introduction. But I fear that if no member of the Connolly family were to support my views – resting as they do on documents in Ina’s possession – he and his Fianna Fail friends would launch the most vicious attack on the book.” [entry for 26 October 1956]

Meeting with Desmond Ryan [1893-1964]:  After leaving her [i.e. Ina Connolly] I saw Desmond Ryan who told me that Larkin had announced that Connolly was in the Army at the ILP summer school in 1944. Michael Price had warned him it was true and to be careful [Michael Price 1896-1944, Republican Congress activist in the 1930s, who later became prominent in the Irish Labour Party]. When John Leslie [1856-1921, Scottish socialist who influenced Connolly] wrote to William O’Brien about Connolly’s early life, he said, “There is one episode in Connolly’s life which though not discreditable is likely to be misunderstood and therefore I will say nothing about it.” …  About the army service he says he got it from William O’Brien who had it from Lillie Reynolds that Connolly had been in the army. Now Ina tells the story about being at Bray with her mother and O’Brien and hearing her mother ask O’Brien if he knew it. [entry for 31 May 1957]

Meeting with John Mullery [1879-1958, a political colleague of Connolly in Ireland and the USA]: He was delighted to talk, told me Connolly was born in Edinburgh … Did I ever know how Connolly met his wife? He was in uniform at the time … Suddenly I realised I was in the presence of somebody who knew Connolly more intimately than anybody else and whose knowledge stretched further back, and dropped the subject of America … He ran for a tram for Kingstown or Blackrock at the corner of Merrion Square. The conductor did not stop, so he and an attractive young girl missed it together. That started the relationship, since they fell talking. There was never a cross word between them, but sometimes they would jokingly say, “That tram!” The conductor had not seen them, he supposed.  In those days the trams would stop anywhere they were hailed.

I said I knew he was in the army. He told me that Connolly often spoke to him about it, in New York… The most startling thing Mulray [Greaves uses this form of the name in his Journal, although the several letters that the old man wrote to him are signed “John Mullery”]  told me related to Connolly’s army life. He was at Spike Island – that affair about Myles Joyce. They were on trial, didn’t understand English and were all hanged. Connolly told me – “I was on guard that night. My God! I was sorry for them.”

 I was a little confused about Spike Island, as the matter rang a bell, yet seemed not quite right. “Which Spike Island do you mean?” I hazarded. “Oh! There’s only one. Don’t you know – near Queenstown.” So I was to gather Connolly was stationed at Cobh. Unfortunately, my mind began so quickly to unravel, ravel and re-ravel many historical estimates, and I did not question him further. For here was the possibility of an entirely new date, fitting the biggest gap of all. [entry for 10 June 1957]

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Correspondence between C.Desmond Greaves and Charles Geddes, H.A.Scott, Councillor John Kane,  General Sir Hubert Gough, Captain Sam Baker,  Desmond Ryan, John Mullery, Ina Connolly-Heron and sundry others  re James Connolly’s birthplace, British Army service and related matters:

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Correspondence between Desmond Greaves and Charles J. Geddes. Greaves had first met Charles Geddes and John Conlon in 1951, as described in the two “Irish Democrat” articles referred to above, at the start of his research for his Connolly biography. This correspondence commences four years later.

From Desmond Greaves to C.J. Geddes, 29 Drumbrae North, Barnton, Co. Midlothian, Scotland

4 May 1955

Dear Mr Geddes,

You will be surprised to hear from me, and to know I did not manage to complete my book on Connolly – was compelled to interrupt the researches for domestic reasons, and could only do my ordinary daily work. However, I’m back again on the job, and since then there have been developments. I published the facts you and John Conlon got me; they caused a furore – the Connolly family is divided over them, one half believing, the other doubting. However, since then a Mr. Scott who is an expert on Census matters, confirmed what Conlon said from records, so there is no doubt.

However, I have been unable to get documentary confirmation of Connolly’s army service. The War Office could not trace him in the Queen’s Liverpool, but then Conlon said he joined under a false name and couldn’t remember it. I wonder if Conlon would ever have a flash of inspiration and it would come back to him? Another man who knew Connolly was Mr. Monaghan, I think the secretary of the Painters Union. I only realised the importance of this a day or two ago when I got the death certificate of John Connolly (Connolly’s eldest brother) and realized he was a painter.

My purpose in writing to you is therefore this: would it be possible, and please don’t take it on if it is too much, to trace Monaghan, or ask Conlon again, to see if we could get the name Connolly used in the army.

One other point. Ina Connolly (the daughter who accepts the Scottish birthplace) is collecting James Connolly’s works which she hopes to compile in one series. It struck me that you might let us have copies of the articles under the name of R. Ascal in your book, and if you found somebody to type them out we would of course pay the cost with pleasure. It would be very good to get all Connolly’s articles right from the beginning.

The final mystery which eludes us is the birthplace of Connolly’s parents! If we had that, we would be able to clear things up, as I am sure that descriptions of Connolly’s early life alleged to have been told his children, were really his descriptions of his parents’ experiences, and of course the children were too young!  But the father died in 1890, so there seems little hope of ever finding that out. 

With every good wish, and hoping I am not imposing on your generosity.

Yours sincerely 

C. Desmond Greaves 

Editor

–   –   –

From Charles Geddes, 29 Drumbrae North, Barnton, Midlothian, to C.Desmond Greaves.  [Undated]

Dear Sir,

I hope that the time taken to attend to your inquiry re James Connolly has not put you to any inconvenience. 

Unfortunately, I have [been] unable to be in town as often as I would have liked owing to a chill. However I have had several long talks with John Conlin [sic] about the Connollys. He could not say anything about the parents and while he knew James it was from John, with whom he was very friendly and who gave him the information about his brother. Conlin never knew the name under which he listed under. John’s army name was Reid and Conlin’s tale of John’s experiences in the Army Reserve is quite amusing, but would be little use for your purpose.

As for Monaghan Conlin remembered him as being a very staid person in regular employment and a very sincere Catholic. He thinks he had a brother who was a priest. He did not care much for Connolly because of a book he wrote in reply to Father Keen [sic] (Religion and Nationality) which I expect you will know and read. I have never heard of it until Conlin informed me. 

I called at the Painters Union rooms but being afternoon I saw no one, so I got a friend to send a letter to the Secretary asking where Monaghan lived. I received a short note last Wednesday saying that Mr Monaghan has been dead for a number of years.

Regarding Connolly’s articles under “Rascal”, I have re-read them and I hardly think they would be suitable for using in your book. They were written during his candidature for a town council election and deal with bits of Parish Pump affairs. However as I do not know anyone who does typing (except Comrade Cotton and he has hasn’t the time) I may if you will guarantee to return the volume after deciding what may be used for your purpose, I will send book by post.

With regard to articles of Connolly’s which appeared in the “Weekly People”, New York, when he was a member of the SLP, there was a criticism of De Leon’s translation of Bebel’s “Woman and Socialism”, also an answer about Wages and Prices criticising De Leon’s statements on that subject. You may of course know of them. I believe these articles were the cause of Connolly’s return from the “States”.

I am sorry that I have not been able to clear up your difficulties and trust you will excuse delay in doing so. Wishing you success in your task. 

Yours sincerely 

C.J. Geddes

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From Desmond Greaves to C.J. Geddes, 29 Drumbrae North, Barnton, Midlothian 

23 June 1955 

Dear Mr Geddes,

Thank you very much for your letter, and I do appreciate your taking so much trouble for me.

Everything that you got me from Conlon has proved of great interest, and I believe he was right about Connolly being in the army too, because when I told his daughter about it she nearly jumped out of her chair and said that her mother never told her so but that things they had said had often made her suspect it! But if Conlon is right that they studied Capital under Glasse, from the German, this must refer to Glasse’s lectures to the SSF. This however was 1888. So we are led not only to how JC got into the army but how he got out. But the name is the vital thing!  Incidentally Connolly’s daughter suspects he met her mother while in the forces. In preparing an account which I hope will last a few years without disturbance I have to try to ferret out everything, as you know there are people trying to pretend Connolly wasn’t a socialist (!) – I intend to rescue that part of his reputation, tho’ I don’t intend a volume of uncritical adulation. Also I feel that if we do not try to clear things up now, they will be lost permanently.

If you could send me the book under registered post, I would have photostats made of the articles concerned, and certainly promise to return it to you as soon as it was done. [Line missing at bottom of page] 

office, but to my home address at 6 Cockpit Chambers, 20 Northington Street, London, W.C.1.

I will refund the postage of course and register it for return journey. The reason for sending it to the home address is that other people use the office and I would not want it to go astray for any reason at all, especially as sometimes I am away for a few days.

It is possible that I may be in Glasgow sometime this summer and perhaps if I manage to get over to Edinburgh (a place I rather like) I may be lucky enough to catch you in. 

With every good wish and many thanks,

Yours sincerely 

C. Desmond Greaves 

P.S.  I am glad to hear from the fact that he is ‘busy’ that Comrade Cotton is well, and I’d like it very much if when you see him you would convey my regards. CDG.

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From Charles Geddes, 29 Drumbrae North, Barnton, Midlothian, to Desmond Greaves     [Undated]

Dear Mr Greaves,

I paid an overdue visit to John Conlon the other day. We had long talk about your enquiries about James Connolly. 

There was one thing we discussed and both came to the same conclusion. You had a letter in “Evening News” mentioning that Connolly had been employed by them, information you had apparently received from someone in the city. We both agreed that Connolly was never a “comp” with the “E.N.” He learned that with the “Workers Republic” or “The Harp”. Connolly took lessons at the linotype class in Edinburgh. One of our members introduced him. You may recall his quarrel with De Leon. When Connolly first visited “U.S” he was introduced as a labourer. On his second visit he had become a linotype operator, a change which De Leon used against him.

We noted the “E.N.” did not dispute your statement nor appear very enthusiastic over it.

With regard to Connolly’s being in the Army Conlon repeated his previous statement. There is a gap of seven years (7) in his life which John says his Connolly’s brother told him was spent in the King’s Liverpool Regt. I think it must have been the Queen’s Liverpool Regt. as it must have been during the nineties. It was said he was a hawker in England, but that was as his brother said an excuse as it would have been bad if the Irish people knew he had been in the British Army.

Another very interesting matter Conlon mentioned which I never heard before. Connolly was married in Perth. It was apparently a way those who had absented themselves from the Chapel had of making special journeys there to be married.

I take it that your book on C. is not ready yet. I have been always expecting to see a review. Hope above will be of some use. I don’t think it would be worth the journey to Edinburgh, as I am sure you know all Conlon could tell you. You of course may have other information to confirm.

Hoping you will be able to decipher above, and wishing you an early publication. 

Yours sincerely 

C.J. Geddes

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From Mrs Helen H. Scott, Whinstead, Perth Road, Blairgowrie, Pertshire (Tel. Blairgowrie 89) to C. Desmond Greaves 

[This lady was daughter of the Rev. W. Glasse, who held classes on Marx’s “Capital” in the late 1880s which James Connolly possibly attended] 

6 – 10 – 1955

Dear Mr Greaves,

I had to leave my home after my husband’s death and take a small house where it was impossible to house all my books. I might have been able to help you a year ago, but fear many of my father’s papers have got scattered. If I find anything that might be useful to you, I will send it on, but I am not very hopeful.

I remember the name of James Connolly, but do not remember any classes. There were many meetings of the early socialists in my father’s study and we had many interesting people who stayed with us while lecturing in Edinburgh,  – Prince Kropotkin, William Morris, Bruce Glasier, and his wife, Dylan Shallard, and many others. I do not remember any classes, but there were many interesting discussions. My father had an excellent library and an edition of Kapital. He read both French and German and he told me he learned Greek from a testament while going and coming to work. I have his prize for Greek at St. Andrew’s University. I regret I cannot give you much help.

Yours sincerely 

Helen H. Scott

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From Desmond Greaves to Charles Geddes, Drumbrae North, Barnton, Midlothian

14 December 1955

Dear Mr Geddes,

I was in Edinburgh a few weeks ago and intended to call on you, but caught a bad cold and judged it wiser not to prolong my visit. While there I met Bob Wilson, who told me to go and see a Mr Drummond, who turned out to be your old friend, and I was very pleased indeed to make his acquaintance.

I am gradually piecing together the Connolly story, and with any luck we’ll get the book out by the middle of next year. But there are still some real mysteries.

The classes taken by Glasse on Kapital were in 1887 and 1888. His daughter told me he knew German and thinks he had a German edition. But the first English one was published in 1887 – I don’t know what part of the year.

A man who knew Connolly in Liverpool said he seemed to know “Capital” by heart – pointing to him having read it while young. BUT he could hardly have been in the army and attend the classes as well. If only Mr Conlon could remember the name he thinks he enlisted under! I am beginning to doubt if he was in it – possibly his brother Thomas who disappeared after his birth certificate! But where was he? That’s a different matter. Every single fact Conlon told us proved accurate, and only this one have I been unable to check. But unfortunately it is quite crucial because its significance is such that it would alter our whole view of him – explaining his knowledge of military affairs etc. etc. if it were established.

Apparently the old minute books etc. of the SSF have been lost. Glasse’s daughter moved house two years ago and destroyed or dispersed all his stuff. I only found her this year. She is in Pitlochry! So there we are. I have decided to publish what I’ve got. I’m hardly likely to get more, and the way Connolly’s old comrades in Edinburgh have helped has been marvellous.

I learned, by the way, that Bob Wilson took the chair in Leith as a meeting addressed by Connolly in 1913. What do you think of the idea of my coming to Edinburgh around Easter, when Connolly is in the mind of most Irish people, and giving a public lecture on his life? I’d like to see him commemorated in his native city. The “James Connolly Association” would be good auspices and I dare say the Labour Party would be interested. If I pursued that would you feel like taking any part yourself? It might be possible to get the City Council to mark his house with a plaque, and I don’t think we need wait till his centenary (1968) to wait for that.  His [Line cut at bottom of page].  

I am friendly with one of his daughters and possibly she might come over – she’d surely do so if the plaque was put up.

Let me know what you think of this.

I still have your ‘Labour Chronicle’ and am working on it this evening. When I have copied out all that I need I will return it to you. I hope that you are not inconvenienced by my retaining it so long.

There is one other point of interest. I spent an afternoon walking round all the streets Connolly and family lived in, and also visited East Meadows (That’s how I caught the cold I think!).  It struck me to ask at what part of the meadows was it customary to hold the meetings.

A man in Liverpool told me that Connolly organised the night soil men, he thinks in Edinburgh. Did you ever hear of this?; there was talk of a strike. I suspect he confuses it with Cork (about 1899) but it is well to check.

I suppose you think I am a terrible niggler for details – but if a job’s to be done it may as well be done so that it can be regarded as being finished. So that’s my excuse for being such a nuisance to anybody who knew Connolly. 

With every good wish for the festive season, 

Yours very truly 

C. Desmond Greaves 

Editor

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From Charles Geddes, 29, Drumbrae North, Barnton, Midlothian  [Undated]

Dear Mr Greaves,

I trust that my delay in answering your letter of 14th December has not put you to any inconvenience or delay in your work. 

Christmas and New Year time always causes upsets etc. and leaves little time for letter writing and finding time to have contact with anyone who knew Connolly. So I made a special call on my old friend Conlon last Friday and had a long talk over his acquaintance with his brother. By the way his name was John. You mention a Thomas, and say he disappears after his birth certificate.  Do you mean James or John? John enlisted in a fusilier regiment, went to India and rose to Sergeant, was in reserve in 1914 war and even rejoined the army. Conlon’s story of his army doings are really amusing. I asked Conlon if John had any family and he told me he had several daughters and a son, but did not know where they lived. I thought that the son would be able to know something helpful but C. didn’t think so.

I also made enquiries as to there being any branch of ‘James Connolly Association’ locally but he never heard of it. He did not think such would be popular amongst the local Irish as the Connollys were not regular chapel attenders. As for the Labour Party being interested in your holding a meeting to speak on Connolly’s life I cannot advise you in any way as I am not acquainted with of the present-day members. If you write the Secretary of [the] Labour Party you might be able to interest them in your object, although I personally doubt it.

You mention a plaque to mark where Connolly lived. Where [he] was born has been demolished and neither Conlon and I see little hope of the powers that be granting any such thing.

I agree you [are] a “Stickler” and I must congratulate you in finding Glasse’s daughter. She is quite correct. It was the German edition that he used for his lectures in the class that Connolly attended. That is what we young ones were told when we started on “Das Capital”. 

Glad to know you visited my old comrade Drummond. I expect you got some information from him. He could have told you about Bob Wilson’s statement about Connolly’s visit in 1913. I cannot recall it at all.  At the beginning of the SLP Connolly was doing a propaganda advertising its policy in several towns when he gave up – He paid his first visit to the USA. That was in 1902-4.  Sorry to know your last visit was unfortunate for you. “The Devil’s Corner” (Meadows) was always a windy place. Manys a Sunday afternoon and evening I spent there. I could tell you of many ‘characters’ who were ‘regulars’ there. Many thanks for your card and good wishes. I hope this finds you well and wish you success in your task as soon as possible. 

Yours sincerely 

C. Geddes 

Hope you will be able to read this scribble. My pen is working badly. Wish I could have got something authentic.

–  –   –

From Desmond Greaves to Charles Geddes, 29 Drumbrae North, Barnton, Midlothian.

18 January 1956

Dear Mr Geddes,

Many thanks for your letter and for taking the trouble of going to see Mr Conlon again. I seem to be a terrible nuisance to you, I’m afraid. There was a third brother, intermediate in age and his name was Thomas. I suspect he must have died as a child. The information you were able to get for me was very useful, as I am gradually narrowing the dates down and will soon I hope be able to establish whether Connolly could have been out of Edinburgh for 7 years.

This is my calculation. Assume he could not have gone into the army before he was 14. That gives us 5 June 1882 as the earliest date. The Edinburgh Town Clerk has just written me telling me he searched his records and found the father (John Connolly) was disabled in February 1889 and discharged. Leslie told Desmond Ryan that JC was working in Glasgow and returned to Edinburgh when his father was disabled. Now if the father was only just disabled when he was discharged from his job, then Connolly could not have been in the army for 7 years, unless he joined it before time, or left it before time. I am going to get the War Office to give me the details of what either of these would involve. But this suggests that IF he was in it, he bought himself out to return home. But it is evidence against his being in it, unless he left it before time.

Now we come to the Das Kapital evidence. The classes which Glasse took were under Socialist League auspices and the latest reference to them in ‘Commonweal’ or ‘Justice’ was March 1888. It could be that they continued, but I communicated with Alan Unwin regarding the date of the publication of the English translation of Kapital, and they told me it was in 1887, but they could not give the month. So probably Glasse gave up the classes when the English [Line at bottom of page missing here]

job of expounding the gospel from the English edition.

Assuming Connolly attended the LAST of Glasse’s classes that is known to have taken place, then he was out of the army in March 1888 – If the classes went on a month or two longer after the advert stopped the argument is scarcely affected. This means the period available for him to have been in the Army is narrowed down to 5 years and nine months IF he attended the classes. I am going to ask the Edinburgh Corporation to make a further search to see if there is any earlier record of the father being incapacitated, but I doubt if they’ll find it; but if the father’s illness was the cause of JC coming out of the army, then it must have been by some special arrangement and there should be a record of it. The only trouble is the NAME. There is ample evidence of Connolly having made a careful study of Marxian principles; also ‘Justice’ refers to him as ‘one of the pioneers of socialism in Edinburgh’ as early as 1896, even speaking as if he was in it as early as Leslie. So everything seems to rest on my being able to trace some reference to him between 1882 and 1888 – for sheer bad luck this does not include a census year.

There is only one thing. Do you think John Connolly was to be relied upon in the matter of James’s army service? I don’t suppose, as Conlon thinks, there will be much forthcoming but I will try to trace the relatives as they might know the army name and that would be the sole remaining mystery cleared up.

I wrote to Arthur Guinness Ltd. about Yates. They said they had records going back to 1880 and never had a man called George Yates in their employ. But W. Paul, whom I met in Derby, told me that probably George Yates was an assumed name, and he worked for Guinness’ under another name. What do you think of that – when you have time to write? The Edinburgh Trades Council has kindly agreed to put its records at my disposal so I will probably be in Edinburgh quite soon and I look forward to meeting you again. 

With every good wish and many thanks,

Yours very truly 

C. Desmond Greaves.

–   –   –

From Charles Geddes, 29 Drumbrae North, Barnton, Midlothian, to Desmond Greaves    [Undated]

Dear Mr Greaves,

I am sorry to have been so long in acknowledging the return of the ‘Labour Chronicle’ but have not been up to normal. The years bring along upsets as I expect you are not exempt from them either. My friend to whom I had promised to give the mag’ towards his collection will I am sure let you have [the] pamphlet you want. I had a brief note from him the other day saying he was confined to bed and off work for some time, which may delay your receiving [the] pamphlet.

It is unfortunate you haven’t got proof of Connolly’s army service after your very extensive efforts which deserved success. 

Glad to hear your book was nearing completion. I wish it and you every success, a big sale and future editions. 

Please excuse delay in writing and when you are again at Edinburgh I hope you will give me a call. 

Yours sincerely. 

C.J. Geddes

–   –   –

From William Watson to Desmond Greaves re Charles Geddes’s pamphlet  [Undated]

William Watson, 27 Canal St. Kirkintilloch, near Glasgow.

Dear Comrade,

In answer to your letter, which I got when I got home from work, when I wrote William Paul about the pamphlet, first of all I thought the pamphlet was for himself, but when I heard it was for you, I have taken another point of view on that. First of all I want to be fair and frank with you. If you return the bound volume of old publication The Labour Chronicle, which you got in loan from my old friend and comrade Charles Geddes, 29 Drumbrae North, Barnton, Midlothian, Scotland, I will let you have the pamphlet of John Leslie “The Irish Question” on these conditions. But if you don’t send back the volume of Geddes, you won’t get the pamphlet. As for me it is me who is making the sacrifice for the sake of my old friend, so it is up to yourself to send Geddes his book back if you want to get the pamphlet. 

I am, yours fraternally,

William Watson 

[Pencilled note by C. D. Greaves at the bottom of this letter: “He wanted the book himself and was prepared to give the pamphlet to get it! Geddes told me this afterwards and laughed!]

–   –   –  

Correspondence with H. A. Scott, formerly of the Edinburgh SDF, who knew John Leslie well. Scott was a civil servant in later life:

[Information note sent to Desmond Greaves by H.A. Scott, 17 Craiglockhart Road, Edinburgh 11, dated 30/5/1951 and titled as below. This was probably sent in response to a newspaper advertisement.]

                    James Connolly in Edinburgh 

30/5/1951

I joined the Edinburgh branch of the SDF [i.e. Britain’s first organised socialist political party, the Social Democratic Federation, established by H.M. Hyndman in 1881] in 1906, having previously been a member of the Federation in London.

I never met Connolly, for by that time he had gone to America. But I knew John Leslie very well. He was, I think, Connolly’s brother-in-law, and was 10 years or so older than Connolly.

Leslie was a very remarkable man with extraordinary natural gifts, developed by careful study. He was a convinced and thorough-going Marxist. I have no definite knowledge as to what, if any, influence Leslie had on Connolly; but I can hardly imagine that it could be other than powerful.

The only positive recollection I have of a conversation with Leslie about Connolly relates to the time when Connolly decided to identify himself with the Irish self-government movement.

I have in my possession a rather good photograph of John Leslie, taken by Drummond Shiels, Edinburgh.

I fear these very meagre particulars are of little value for the enquirer, but if he thinks I might by any chance be able to assist further, he is very welcome to get in touch with me on his return to Edinburgh.

H.A. Scott

17 Craiglockhart Road, Edinburgh 11;  Telephone: CRA 1242 

 PS. John Leslie died in Edinburgh on 7th January 1921 aged 60.

–  –   –

From H.A. Scott, 17 Craiglockhart Road, Edinburgh 11, to C. Desmond Greaves

4^th September 1951

Dear Mr Greaves,

This is an interim report.

I have found (I think) the Connolly family in the 1871 Census, but not at 107 Cowgate.

Here is the entry:

1871                                                                                    Age   Occup.           B’place

Date of Census   23 Carrubbers  John Connolly  Head   Married  38    Lamplighter     Ireland

3 April 1871       Close,              Mary      “      Wife                  36.        –                  “

                         Edinburgh*       John       “      Son                    9     Scholar         Edinburgh

                                                Thomas  “      Son                    4         –                   “

                                                James    “      Son                     2        –                   “

*One of the “closes” off High Street

This, it seems to me, must be the family alright. For a check I looked up the birth of Thomas, who was born in Campbell’s Close, Cowgate, on 27 April 1866 – father James C. and mother Mary, maiden surname McGinn. He would therefore have been 4 last birthday at the 1871 Census; and James (born 5 June 1868) would have been 2 years of age. The father, who was a “manure carter” in the birth entries of Thomas and James, was a “lamplighter” in 1871 – probably a better and steadier job. The family appear to have moved about a bit in Campbell’s Close, 107 Cowgate, 23 Carrubbers Close.

You might let me know at your convenience if you are satisfied that I’ve spotted the right household?

It probably would not be expedient to quote the Census entry in extenso in your book. The 1871 Census records are in fact open to public inspection – not on demand but in approved cases and on payment of fees (which I didn’t pay, treating the purpose as a “literary” one). But the idea of confidentiality is bound up with the Census – and rightly so – and it would be well to avoid a verbatim quote.

I have not yet seen the lady from America, but hope to do so when I come back from holiday. I have, however, spoken to her on the phone and she has promised to think over the matter and see if she can recollect any useful facts. In the meantime she assured me that there was no relationship between Leslie and Connolly.

I have spoken on the phone to the headmaster of St. Patrick’s School (whom my wife knows) and he has kindly agreed to make enquiries as to the existence of an admission register for 1873-4. I’ll let you know the result when I get it.

As regards Leslie’s pamphlet on the Irish Question, I have asked the lady I mentioned (John Gilray’s daughter), to have a look among her father’s books to see if there is one by chance among them. I have also asked her to let me have a copy of the passage in Gilray’s manuscript which refers to the meeting in Edinburgh in 1887 or 1888 on the Irish Coercion Act at which Leslie took the chair. It may be a few weeks before I can report further on this as I’m going on holiday and so is she.

Here is an extract from the Register of Deaths about Leslie: John Leslie, Insurance Agent, married to Emily Douglas; died 7 January 1921 at 31 Broughton Street, Edinburgh, age  60; Father – James Leslie, General Labourer; Mother Bridget, maiden surname Gaynor; Cause of death: asthma,  sudden heart failure. (Informants Wm. McMullan, brother-in-law)

I think that’s all I have to say at the moment. I’ll write again when any further information turns up. 

Yours sincerely, 

H.S. Scott

–   –   –

From H.A. Scott, 17 Craiglockhart Road, Edinburgh 11, to C. Desmond Greaves

21^st September 1951

Dear Mr Greaves,

Forgive me for the delay in acknowledging your letter of the 6th of September, and thank you for sending the paper with your very interesting article on Connolly. As you know, I’ve been on holiday.

First of all let me say that it was a careless slip on my part to say that in Thomas’s birth entry the father is given as “James”. It is, of course, “John”.

Unfortunately the Census in 1871 (likewise 1861) did not require a statement of the parish or county of birth in the case of persons born in Ireland, so we can’t get the locality from this source.

I might be able to trace the marriage of Connolly’s parents (John Connolly and Mary McGinn) if that would be of real interest to you?

 I’m sorry to say I couldn’t get any information from the lady from America. I doubt if she knows anything about Connolly except what she had read in Ryan’s (?) book – which she said contains some mention of John Leslie. The only item of information she gave was that Leslie and Connolly were not related.

I have not yet seen John Gilray’s daughter again. She promised to look for a copy of Leslie’s “Irish Question” pamphlet among her father’s papers, but she didn’t think it was there. I also asked her to give me an excerpt from Gilray’s MSS referring to the meeting in Edinburgh in 1887 (?) on the Coercion Bill, at which Leslie was the chairman. When I get this I’ll send it on to you.

 Sorry I have not been able to give more help. 

Yours sincerely,

H.A. Scott

–   –   –

From Desmond Greaves to H.A. Scott, 17 Craiglockhart Rd., Edinburgh 11

[Sent four years following the previous communications]

4 May 1955

Dear Mr Scott, 

I am venturing to ask your help again in relation to the tracing of James Connolly’s family history. I have had to suspend my researchers until recently because of a succession of domestic difficulties, now happily settled. In the meantime however I have discussed the whole question with Connolly’s daughter, and she is collecting all her father’s works for publication and in return for my help in that is giving me her collaboration in the biography.

There is no doubt however that James Connolly made a thorough mystery of his origin. We recently had great difficulty in preventing Clones R.D.C. erecting a memorial at his supposed birthplace; I went there and investigated and found they had confused him with another James Connolly who was  executed in 1886 and about whom a song was written! Historical syncretism!

The family now told me of Peter Connolly, the brother of John (James’s father) who went over from Edinburgh (we assume from Edinburgh) to Belfast in 1912 with a view to selling a plot of land he had. The children unfortunately did not hear the details; but this flash of memory on Ina Connolly’s part may conceivably lead us back to the family holding, and thus clear up once and for all the mystery of the Connolly origins.

[Line missing here at the bottom of the first page of the copy letter]

General search (if I could get permission from the R.G.) of the appropriate Censuses. But on the other hand I have no skill in that line and would no doubt take a day for what would need only an hour. I wondered if you might be able to help me by finding out if Peter was in Edinburgh in the Cowgate area at any time – I suppose there were not many Connollys there then. If we could then find his death certificate, then if he kept the land we may be able to trace deeds via probate, and thus link up with some remnant of the records in Ireland. (The Irish record office was burned down in 1922 – that is the cause of the whole difficulty.)

It looks as if the grandfather left Peter the farm, and for some reason he wished to dispose of it in 1912; it is a promising line of enquiry.

The family think, and I agree, that it will be very hard to produce the definitive life of Connolly (for which we have the bulk of the material for the later time) if we cannot clear up the question of origin – not that it matters really, but there is so much emotion associated with it that proof seems needed!

 I do hope you will not think I am imposing on you by asking your assistance in this. If you have not the time, would you be able to advise me if I came to Edinburgh myself? 

With every good wish,

Yours sincerely

C. Desmond Greaves 

PS. I enclose a pamphlet which might interest you. CDG.

–   –   –

From H.A. Scott, 17 Craiglockhart Road, Edinburgh 11, Tel. CRA 1242, to C. Desmond Greaves, 55 Rosoman Street, London EC1

9th May 1955

Dear Mr Greaves,

I was interested to hear from you again. I do not think it should be necessary for you to come personally to Edinburgh to pursue the researches. I shall be very glad to do anything I can to help so worthy an object. I may be able to get the searching looked on as for a literary purpose and free of charge, but we’ll see about that later.

In the meantime there are a few questions that I must ask before I can go to the Register House. Here they are:

1. Having regard to your remark that Connolly made a mystery of his origin, are you thoroughly satisfied that the Birth Entry No. 605/1868, St. Giles District, Edinburgh, showing date of birth as 5th June 1868, born at 107 Cowgate, son of John Connolly, manure carter, and Mary Connolly, maiden surname Mc Ginn, does in fact refer to the James Connolly?

• Are you also satisfied that the entry in the 1871 census showing the household of John and Mary Connolly at 23 Carrubers Close, with sons John, aged 9, Thomas, aged 4 and James aged 2 refers to the James Connolly and his parents and brothers?

•  I gather that what you are now chiefly concerned with is to trace the death of Peter Connolly, brother of James Connolly’s father? Am I right? 

• You say Peter went to Belfast in 1912 to sell a plot of land, and that you assume he went from Edinburgh. What reason have you to believe that Peter lived in Edinburgh?

• Was Peter married? If so, to whom?

• Is it known, or believed, that he returned to Edinburgh? 

• Is anything known as the probable year of his death? If not, in what year was he last known to have been alive?

I would hope to get a line on the family by looking up John Connolly’s marriage (Edinburgh, 1856).  At least his parents will be given, and the witnesses to the marriage may be of some note.

I hope it will not be necessary to wade through the Census records, which is a laborious job. Nor do I think that should be necessary if all you want is to find the Entry of Peter’s death – assuming always that you have good reason to suppose that he lived in Scotland and died in Scotland after 1912. If he was about the same age as John, he must have been a pretty old man by 1912.

Perhaps you will let me have your replies to the above queries and any other remarks that you may think useful? 

Thanks for the pamphlet, which I shall read in due course. Also for the “Irish Democrat” which I’ll pass on after perusal to my daughter in Brno, who is always interested in anything about James Connolly.

Yours sincerely,

H. A. Scott

–   –   –

From Desmond Greaves to H.A. Scott, 17 Craiglockhart Rd., Edinburgh 11

28 May 1955

Dear Mr Scott, 

Please forgive my delay in answering your letter of May 9th. I have been involved in the local election campaign, but we managed to get Mrs Jeger in, in a very marginal seat [Lena Jeger, 1915-2007, Labour MP for Holborn and St Pancras South]. So I am sure you will understand how I had to drop everything.

I am completely satisfied that you found the right family. I obtained a number of birth, marriage and death certificates and have summarised them on the attached sheets, so there is no doubt. It all rests on:

1. My personal knowledge of Connolly’s daughters who say their mother was born Lily Reynolds.
2. Marriage of Connolly to Lily Reynolds in Perth, giving John Connolly and Mary McGinn.
3. John and Thomas (brothers of James) having same parents.
4. Marriage of John Connolly and Mary McGinn.

The one discrepancy is the death of Connolly’s father in 1900, when different names are given to James’s grandparents. James’s mother’s mother is also different here. But all the earlier records agree, and James (who seems to have managed all the business of the family, and must have come over from Dublin in 1900) was the one who registered the deaths. He must have relied solely on his memory. I myself only know ONE name each of my grandparents, tho’ I think they had more, so I can understand this.

Now the aim is to try to find out where the Connollys came from. T. A. Jackson in an article said James’s grandfather was hanged for his part in 1798 – but James’s father was born in 1832! So that can’t be true. If he was hanged it should be on record. When you reflect that all the tradition centres round Monaghan, and that Clones where the song written about James Connolly (Ribbonman hanged in 18??) is sung about 1916! – is the most frequently mentioned, it does look as if there might be a connexion. 

About Peter. First I have only Connolly’s daughter (then a girl) to rely on for name. There is referred to in all “lives” of Connolly a Fenian uncle. Peter is the name the daughter gives. He was an old man certainly. I wouldn’t be sure his name was Connolly as Ina doesn’t know if it was the father’s or mother’s sister!  Thinks it was the father’s. Can’t prove he came from Edinburgh, but thinks he did. Last known to be alive in 1912.

If then, either Peter Connolly or Peter McGinn died in Edinburgh (or elsewhere in Scotland), it must have been shortly after 1912. I can’t understand if he was younger than John, who died in 1900 aged 68, why HE had the farm, unless of course it passed to him after John died. But his minimum age if he was the elder would be 81 in 1912. If he was younger then, allowing he got the farm between the two years, I suppose he could be in his sixties.

One of the reasons I thought of coming to Edinburgh was that I wondered if it was worthwhile going through all the Censuses from 1851 onwards to see if I could track the family through the whole time. They may have lived together; but IF Peter lived in Edinburgh why didn’t he register John’s death in 1900?

As a matter of more direct approach (leaving Peter aside), can you think of any official document to which a man would have to attach his birthplace, before 1900? Passports did not exist then, I am told, or scarcely. Anyway manual workers didn’t travel.

Re the witnesses of Connolly’s father’s marriage, they were illiterate and signed with an X.

Many thanks for your kindness in helping with this. Will you return the enclosures as soon as you have satisfied yourself as to their significance as  there are one or two items I am following up from them apart from this. 

With every good wish, and again thanks, 

Yours sincerely 

C. Desmond Greaves

–   –   –

From H.A. Scott, 17 Craiglockhart Rd., Edinburgh 11; Tel. CRA 1242, to C. Desmond Greaves, 53 Rosoman Street, London EC1

16^th August 1955

Dear Mr Greaves,

I’m afraid you must regard me as a broken reed – having produced no further results in the Connolly research.

I sent you a postcard at the end of June, acknowledging your letter of the 28th May, which arrived when we were on holiday. I had expected to get on to the job right away in July, but found myself cluttered up with work connected to my “trade union”, the Civil Service Pensioners’ Alliance – and couldn’t get free of it. Then at the end of July we had an unexpected visitor – my eldest grandson from Czechoslovakia. He got a passport and visa for three months and came over alone, by plane via Amsterdam. He is 13. This means now that I’ll not be able to do anything at the Register House until about the end of October. What is your reaction to that?

Frankly I was somewhat disappointed with your letter of the 28th May. I had hoped we could take it as factual that Peter Connolly, a brother of James C., [sic; presumably this should have been John, referring to James Connolly’s father] was living in Scotland in or about 1912, visited Ireland for some business affair, returned to Scotland and died there. If so, the search would have been straightforward – confined in fact to the Death Registers. But alas! You don’t even know that there was a Peter Connolly; he may have been a Peter McGinn. It is not certain that he was in Scotland at all: only a strong probability. It is not known when or where he may have died. Nevertheless one could search for his death in or after 1912. That would not be difficult. But when you write of searching all the census records 1861 et seq. for the whole of Edinburgh for a Peter Connolly or McGinn – that is a different proposition entirely. It would be a tremendous search, for there is no General Index, as there is in the case of deaths. And furthermore, if you found a Peter Connolly, how would you know he was James’s [sic] brother – unless indeed he were enumerated in J.’s household?

So I’m a bit doubtful about the Census. It might take a long time. I don’t know how far one is allowed to go now in Census searching –  perhaps only to 1891 or 1901.

I can’t think of any other records where one might find trace of such a person as Peter C. But in any case the first thing would be, I think, to have a try for a record of his death. 

Will you let me know if this can wait till well on in October?

Yours sincerely,

H.A. Scott

–   –   –

[Two letters from Desmond Greaves to Edinburgh Councillor J. Kane raising the possibility, inter alia, of Greaves giving a commemoration lecture on Connolly in Edinburgh, to which those of Connolly’s youthful contemporaries who had assisted Greaves in his researches could be invited.] 

14 December 1955

Dear Councillor Kane,

I took the liberty of calling at the Council Chambers about three weeks ago In the hopes of meeting you, but since the commissionaire seemed to find some difficulty in finding you, and I had to catch the mid-day train back to London, I could not wait very long, and decided to write.

My enquiry relates to the late Mr Gerald Crawford, the composer, whose family I am given to understand you might be able to put me in touch with, for literary purposes.

I am writing the biography of James Connolly, the famous Irish rebel and socialist, and it is generally believed that Gerald Crawford set the music to his ‘Rebel’s  Song’. If you have any information yourself I would be very grateful for it, but would particularly like to be put in touch with the composer’s family so that I can ask them a few questions on the connection of Connolly and Crawford. 

With every good wish, 

Yours very truly,

C. Desmond Greaves 

P.S. I am in touch with some of Connolly’s old colleagues in Edinburgh, mostly men about 75-80 years of age. I was thinking of giving a Connolly Commemoration lecture (Connolly was born in Edinburgh) this Easter, since the centenary is not till 1968, and they can hardly be expected to survive. Do you think the Labour Party would be interested?. I had quite a deal of help from Mr Lessen, but understand he is not much in Edinburgh now. CDG.

–   –   –

23rd December 1955. 

Dear Mr Counsellor Kane,

Many thanks for your prompt reply to my query regarding Gerald Crawford, and I will follow up the information you give me.

Regarding my visit to Edinburgh at Easter, or around it, my plans are still fluid, and if you had any suggestion to make I would be able to see how I could work it in. I would of course be very happy to give a lecture to the W.E.A .[i.e. Workers’ Education Association]. Indeed, if the W.E.A. were inclined to co-operate in the public lecture I have in mind, it would be very good. There are in Edinburgh a few personal friends of Connolly’s youth, mostly men around 80 years of age. I am very anxious to have them on the platform at anything we do, since they have been very helpful to me with their reminiscences, and quite apart from that I think it will be a pleasant gesture of recognition for the part they played themselves in the very early days of the Labour movement

The other thing I had in mind was interesting the Irish citizens of Edinburgh, of which there are nearly 6000 – so now you know more or less the things running through my mind. But as I say, I am very open to suggestions, and am very anxious to commemorate Connolly in Edinburgh while his old associates survive. 

With kind regards, 

Very truly yours,

C. Desmond Greaves

–   –   –

From H.A. Scott, 17 Craiglockhart Rd., Edinburgh 11; Tel. CRA 1242

To Mr C. Desmond Greaves, 53 Rosoman Street, London EC1

18^th December 1955

Dear Mr Greaves,

I wrote to you on 16th of August, explaining the long delay in fulfilling my promise to do some further searching of the records and discussing whether I should try to find the record of Peter’s death.

As I have had no reply from you, I am wondering whether you still think it would be useful if I were to have a look in the General Index of Deaths from 1912 onwards for some years? It would mean, I take it, looking for the death of a Peter Connolly, son of Owen Connolly and Catherine Connolly; or for a Peter McGinn, son of James McGinn and Maria (?Susan) Burns. In 1912 he might have been a man of, I suppose, anything from 60 to 80? 

I shouldn’t think this would be a difficult search and if you wish me to go on with it, I’d try to do it next month perhaps. But will you please let me know what you think and also whether in the meantime any further information has reached you.

With the compliments of the Season, 

Yours sincerely

H.A. Scott 

P.S. I am still holding on carefully to your pencil notes of birth etc. certificates. 

–   –   –

From Desmond Greaves to H.A. Scott, 17 Craiglockhart Rd., Edinburgh 11

20 December 1955

Dear Mr Scott,

Many thanks indeed for your letter. I delayed answering till I would be in Edinburgh, which I was about a month ago; the weather turned very cold, I caught a chill, and it was as much as I could do to get on the fastest train back to London. . . I had been a while in Glasgow, and was going to spend a day or two extra in Edinburgh!

There is fresh information, and my hope was to discuss it with you. I have advertised in the American newspapers for relatives of Connolly, and have  found his first cousin, in Troy, New York. Last week I arranged advertisements in the newspapers in Colorado, where I heard he had other relatives. I have now written to Miss Hume (the cousin) asking her if she is of the Connolly or McGinn stock, and we may be able to trace Peter that way. Because the thought struck me, when you raised very pertinent doubts about Peter’s Scottish domicile – “came from Edinburgh” could merely mean came via Edinburgh – that he might have been returning from the U.S., seeking his relations first in Edinburgh, thence tracing them to Belfast. Actually precisely this, with towns altered, happened in my own family!

I will airmail Miss Hume at once and ask her to try to give me the information early in January as you will be free then. I think it would be a pity to have you spend your time searching for Peter etc., till we have got this clue followed as far as it will go, and indeed the reason I have not been hurrying has been the hopes that the U.S. would yield something. The Passport Office, by the way, has promised me to search for Connolly’s passports, which may reveal something.

The “Fenian uncle” referred to in all the lives of Connolly is reported to have lived in Edinburgh. I thought he was apocryphal, like the Monaghan birthplace, but I have since located the cobbler’s shop (Buccleuch St.) and the Mosaic tiling factory looks like yielding up its secret, so some of the traditions have truth in them. The real divil [sic] is to find some document showing where James Connolly was in, say,1886, and likewise some document with his father’s birthplace on it; but if we can find the eldest branch of the family through the USA inquiry, then I think that will lead to Peter and the land.

I am rather glad I have delayed so much checking up every point I could, because as a result of the American enquiry a whole chapter of Connolly’s career which is unrecorded has come to light. His break with De Leon was much earlier than is supposed, namely 1906-7. After that he spent nearly the best part of a year on the Pacific coast engaged in organising activities for the IWW and SPA – I connect his arrival there with the launching of a socialist paper in Seattle, and his activities apparently ranged as far south as Colorado, which keeps cropping up, and Mexico.

You might ask how on earth did anybody claiming to write the life of Connolly miss all this. The answer is that Desmond Ryan’s father collected all the material he could, and fell ill, and handed over to the son who was just after a nervous breakdown and only 20 years of age. Just imagine a standard biography written by a man of 20 years of age! Yet Fox etc. have slavishly copied it.

With every good wish for the festive season, and with warmest thanks for your interest. I must come and tell you about the new discoveries as soon as I’m in Edinburgh. I hope to give a lecture on Connolly in his native city next April. 

Yours very truly 

C. Desmond Greaves

–   –   –

From Desmond Greaves to H.A. Scott, 17 Craiglockhart Rd., Edinburgh 11

18 January 1956

Dear Mr Scott,

I have not yet succeeded in getting anything from America and the source I was in touch with appears to have dried up. This is possibly because of an attack on the “Irish Democrat” published in the (American) “Catholic Digest” – you know what terrible people we are! But it may be due to other causes altogether.

However, on the two questions (a) parents’ birthplace and (b) army service, if any, I am a little more hopeful than before because of the narrowing down of dates which is steadily proceeding.

1. Birthplace. I have made some study of social conditions in Edinburgh in the 1840s and 50s, and have noted that all the apocryphal accounts of James’s early life could easily and with verisimilitude apply to his parents, whereas the social conditions implied would have disappeared by James’s time. Also the Monaghan Irish had different traditional employment from the Donegal who, being Gaelic speakers, used to travel the Highlands and were higher in the social scale. There were riots between the two – all this pointing to Monaghan.

Here are some questions: The two parents (grandparents) James McGinn and Mary Markie, were alive in 1856. Is there any chance either of them died in Edinburgh?

I have ascertained that John married Mary McGinn at 17 Brown Square, which was the house of the parish priest of St. Patricks. There should therefore be a note in the parish register of that church. Do you think that it might  possibly contain the parish of birth of either of the two of them? At present it is necessary to get “letters of freedom” from one’s home parish priest to make possible a marriage. Now I am not a Catholic and am somewhat in the public eye in some quarters (the “Catholic Herald” periodically has a go at us!) so if you felt you could help me in this, by dropping in there sometime, I would be very grateful indeed.

My feeling is that we should not go after Peter until either I get something from the USA, or have a further talk with Connolly’s eldest daughter whom I will try to see what I am in Dublin next month. It would be a bit speculative till then.

• Possible army service. This is really the more important question, even if not quite so fascinating from a literary point of view. I have narrowed  the dates down very [Missing line at bottom of letter]  

“divil” at the age of 10, in 1878. He is said to have lasted a while, then been caught as under age. Then there came a few months at a Bakery and 2 years at a mosaic factory – which I think I have identified as Mintons. That brings him close on 14. The earliest date he could have joined up would presumably be 5-6-82. Now it was said by Ryan (he tells me Leslie told him) that JC returned to Edinburgh when his father lost his job. The Edinburgh Town Clark has just told me that this was in February 1889 – i.e. just LESS than 7 years. Did he get out specially? But others (and there is corroboratory evidence) say he attended a series of classes conducted by Glasse at Greyfriars using the German edition of “Capital”. The classes stopped in March 1888 – and Allen and Unwin say the English edition came out in 1887. I take it Glasse stopped taking them when his knowledge of German was no longer necessary. His daughter tends to corroborate this. Connolly was said to have attended them. So this reduces his possible army career to 5 years and nine months. The question is, could he have joined up before time by stating he was older than he was?

That means that it would be of value to see if the family can be found in the 1881 census, and that is where I need your advice, because it may well be that is just too big a job to be practicable. If of course, the family were still in the same place, that would be not so bad.

There is a third point. Thomas, the middle brother. Nobody I have spoken to have ever heard of him. I wonder is it possible he did not survive? If so there might be a death certificate and in view of the fact that James registered the death of his mother in 1892 and father in 1900 (when there were presumably others who could have done it) there is just a chance he might have done that also, if they would accept the signature of a minor, that is. 

I would greatly appreciate your opinion on these things, and in view of the fact that the Trades Council has kindly agreed to put their records at my disposal, I may well be in Edinburgh within a few weeks and perhaps we could have lunch together and discuss the problems further. You may be able to spot possibilities connected with this information that I would not so readily see.

In the meantime, many many thanks, and I look forward to meeting you again, 

With best wishes for 1956 

Very truly yours,

C. Desmond Greaves.

_  _  _

From H.A. Scott, 17 Craiglockhart Road., Edinburgh 11, To C. Desmond Greaves, 55 Rosoman St., London WC1

22^nd January 1956

Dear Mr Greaves,

I duly received your letters of the 20th December and 18th January. I admire your fertility of invention in the matter of avenues of exploration!

I’ll certainly have a try next week at Chapel House of Saint Patrick’s, but I’ll be agreeably surprised if the marriage register for 1856 – if it exists – discloses any information as to the Irish Parish of Birth of the spouses.

I’ll have a go at the 1881 census for the Connolly family and see what it reveals – that is, assuming I get access to that Census, which is not certain. It would show whether James (and Thomas) were there. If it is important to trace Thomas’s death, that could be looked for later.

If I get these two matters dealt with before you come to Edinburgh, I’ll write you. I’ll be very pleased to see you when you come North. I would like you to have lunch with me in town some day, and if it is desired to have a further discussion, you might come out to our house when you are free. If you are to lecture on Connolly in Edinburgh, I would of course be most interested to hear your address, if possible.

Incidentally, I know about the classes for the study of Marx which were held in Edinburgh in the late Eighties. They are mentioned in a manuscript by the late John Gilray of Edinburgh, who died a few years ago at the age of 90. He mentions Leslie, but I don’t remember whether he mentions Connolly. It might be possible for me to borrow that MSS again from Gilray’s daughter, if necessary. 

I am looking forward to seeing you soon.

Yours sincerely,

 H.A. Scott

–   –   –

From H.A. Scott, 17 Craiglockhart Rd., Edinburgh 11, to C. Desmond Greaves, 55 Rosoman St., London WC1

3^rd February 1956

Dear Mr Greaves,

Supplementing my letter of the 22nd January, I can now report the result of my recent endeavours.

1. St. Patrick’s Marriage Register. Here I drew a blank. I telephoned to the priest-in-charge, Father Turner, to make an appointment. He would have been helpful if possible, but the desired information is just not available from the Register. It was customary to check up on the baptism of the intending spouses, but until very recently no record regarding the parish of baptism was kept; the certificate was simply returned to the party. So it was useless to go and inspect the Church Register.

• 1881 Census. I had quite a search, but on the second visit today I succeeded in finding the Connolly family. There was no trace of it in our around the Canongate so I thought I would try around the West Port area. You will recollect that James’s residence at the time of his marriage in 1890 was 22 West Port – some distance from the Canongate on Cowgate and in another Registration District. I found it at King’s Stables – not far away from West Port, and I append a copy of the Entry. I’m afraid it doesn’t take you much further. The sons Thomas and James are there, but not John. Please use caution in quoting this record, as strictly speaking the 1881 Census is not open to public search yet.

I hope the weather will get a bit warmer when you come up to Edinburgh. 

Yours sincerely,

 H. A. Scott.

Census of 1881

Edinburgh – St. George Registration District – 685/1. 

2a King’s Stables

John Connolly  Head   Mar.  age 47  Carter         Born in Ireland

Mary     “         Wife    Mar.        44                            “

Thomas “         Son     Unmar.    15  Printer-       Born in Edinburgh           

                                                     compositor 

                                                    (Apprentice) 

James   “         Son     Unmar.    13   Baker          Born in Edinburgh

                                                     (Apprentice) 

–   –   –

From Desmond Greaves to H.A. Scott, 17 Craiglockhart Rd., Edinburgh 11

8 February 1956

Dear Mr Scott, 

Many thanks for your letter of the 3rd and for the troublesome search you must have made. As you say, it does not take us much further, but it certainly does take us a little, since the dates are narrowed down, and the absence of John indicates I think that HE at any rate joined the army.

I think it would be interesting to find out more about what became of Thomas if that should prove possible.

But most interesting is I think the chance that there might be something in Gilray’s MS – since Gilray appears in the “Justice” reports in 1886 (speaking at East Meadows) even before Leslie is referred to. If that MS says anything about how Leslie came into the movement, I think it would be of interest too.

I am hoping to go to Dublin next week to read in the National Library, and after that I intend paying my visit to Edinburgh (probably first week in March) – I have taken note of your warning about the weather.

With thanks again and all good wishes,

Very truly yours

C. Desmond Greaves

–   –   –

From Desmond Greaves to H.A. Scott, 17 Craiglockhart Rd., Edinburgh 11

8 February 1956      [Note this is the same date as the previous letter]

Dear Mr Scott,

Many thanks for the letter of 3rd February and for the troublesome search you must have made. It does take us a little further. It is strong evidence for  Conlon’s verbal and uncorroborated statement that John Connolly joined the army. It makes his statement that James did more likely to be correct – indeed most of the things he told me, though contradicting the biographies, have proved correct. Also it throws light on another thing. It is said James’s first job was as a “printer’s devil” in a workshop where his brother worked – everyone assumed this brother to be John. Now we know it was Thomas. Also, it is said he was turned out by the factory inspector on grounds of being under age and took a job in a bakery. School leaving age was 13 then (I checked this) though responsibility rested on parents to “provide” education. Now, IF this census was taken in April (as I presume it was) then if James was born JUNE 1868, then he was only 12 at the time the Census was taken – in other words his family told the Census man he was 13 because they were afraid he’d give them away to the school inspector! – this is corroboration of the traditional story about the print shop (Leslie is the source.)

I am trying to get from the War Office the earliest age of recruitment. He is said to have left the bakery and worked in a Mosaic factory for 2 years; allowing he left immediately the Census was taken, then he could have enlisted in April 1883, and this taken from his marriage in 1890 leaves seven years. He would have had to pretend he was older than he was if he had to be 16 in order to enlist! But apparently that had presented no difficulty in the past.

So indeed we are narrowing it down very nicely. All we need is a reference between 1883 and 1890, and we have the answer, since the Census return in conjunction with the Leslie reminiscences dates us as far as 1883. 

When you first told me about Gillray’s daughter and the MS he had left, I didn’t appreciate its significance but since then I have gone through the files of “Justice” and “Commonweal” and find Gilray referred to as early as September 1886; he spoke at “East Meadows” together with Hunter, and Robinson. Classes on “Capital” took place in the open air, and here again he appears to have been a speaker with Tuke, Smith, Davidson and J.L. Mahon – whose son is in London and whose great collection of papers was burned in the blitz! I would imagine Gilray came into the movement even before John Leslie, and his MS might throw light on that.

I make these points since if it is possible you might get another loan of it, even if it does not mention James Connolly in connection with the classes etc., if it dates Leslie’s entry into the movement as late as 1886 or 7, then James Connolly’s would be dated after that. The absence of any reference  to Connolly is therefore not necessarily evidence that he was not in Edinburgh.

Do you know anything about the U.S. vital documents? I have the name and address of a deceased cousin (alleged) of Connolly. I thought of sending for the marriage cert., and then trace the mother’s birth cert. She would be a descendant of either Owen Connolly or John McGinn. Possibly the US documents have place of birth on them. I can ask friends in New York to get them for me. Unfortunately, the name (Gillan) shows that if the relationship is as stated it is in the female line.

There are many references in the legends of Connolly to a “Fenian Uncle” who influenced him as a youth in Edinburgh. I am unable to find the slightest evidence, except for the “Peter” story of Connolly’s daughter. Unfortunately I now find that the family as children were told this cousin I refer to now was an aunt!

If you ever get a chance to find anything more about Thomas, I think it would be useful. If he survived, as I had doubted, then he probably emigrated – but he is definitely not the “Uncle Tom” in Nora’s book, who was no relation! If he died in the army would his death be registered in Edinburgh? 

Well, perhaps I’ve written enough. I am thinking of going to Dublin next week to follow up one or two points there, and as soon as I have the answers to some other correspondence I will be coming to Edinburgh and hope we’ll be able to chew some of these points over.

In the meantime, thanks once more for the invaluable help.

Very truly yours

C. Desmond Greaves

–   –   –

From H.A. Scott, 17 Craiglockhart Rd., Edinburgh 11, to C. Desmond Greaves, 55 Rosoman Street, London EC1

10^th February 1956

Dear Mr Greaves,

The dates of the two Censuses were:

1871 . .  April 3^rd

1881 . .  April 4th 

You will see that in the 1871 Census the ages of John and James are correctly stated, but Thomas’s is understated by a year; while in 1881 Thomas’s is correct but James’s is overstated by year. The parents had gained 9 and eight years respectively in the decade.

I may be able to find something about Thomas later. If I had not been pressed for time the last day I was at the Register House, I would have had a spot shot at the 1891 census – around West Port where James was living in 1890. We’ve had one little bit of bad luck, you know. I told you that at the Census people born in Ireland were not called on to give the Parish or County of Birth, but only to write Ireland. But lots of them, I imagine, did give Parish or County. I should think that most Enumerators in that case only transcribed “Ireland” into the Enumeration Book; but I noticed that here and there the Enumerator wrote in the Parish (or County) as well. All the time I was searching the 1881 books I was praying to Saint Joseph (or somebody) that the Enumerator of the District in question might turn out to be one of the more liberal-minded ones. But alas! It was not so. But you never know what 1891 might show – if I can spot the family again.

As to Gilray’s manuscript: I can’t remember seeing Connolly’s name mentioned in connection with the Marx class in the ‘80s, but I’ll try to borrow the MSS again while you are in Edinburgh. It would interest you to see it anyhow.

I was writing to Willy McKie – Brother Bill McKie of Detroit – the other day and I asked him if he ever heard Leslie or anyone mention the place in Ireland from which Connolly’s parents came. But that is a forlorn hope. It was McKie who thought Leslie was an uncle of James C. 

Yours sincerely, 

H.A. Scott

–   –   –

From C. Desmond Greaves to H.A.Scott, 17 Craiglockhart Rd., Edinburgh 11

23 March 1956

Dear Mr Scott, 

It is some time since you wrote to me last, and I have been waiting on other correspondence in hopes of arranging a trip to Edinburgh, but I do not think it will come off till the end of May.

However, in the meantime I have made a little headway in the Connolly  mysteries. I was moving away from the army theory until I thought of asking Gough (who led the Curragh mutiny and who occasionally spoke for us during the war) for particulars of the King’s Liverpool Regiment. I wrote to the Regimental historian last October – and just received a letter a few days ago. This reveals

• that the King’s Liverpool was in Dublin from 1882-1889. So if Conlon was right and Connolly joined it, then he would have been able to meet his future wife in Ireland (Connolly’s own daughter thought this possible.) But what about the time?

• Well, the account I got reveals that in the 1880’s the King’s Liverpool was a militiaregiment, which means that men could join for short service. . . so back we go. It is still possible.

I have arranged with the War Office to go to their Library and check through the actual stations this regiment took up in Ireland.

This raises the question, how did Connolly meet the Dublin woman he married if he was in the army outside Dublin – that is, IF he was. Well, his wife’s sister Margaret was living in Edinburgh in 1898, married and was pregnant at that time and announced her intention of calling the child Margaret if it was a girl. I think in Scotland it is possible to get marriage certs from the wife’s maiden name, so I’ll try and do that, because IF the Reynolds family were long established in Edinburgh, there would be a most natural sequence of events, and there may be some of them still alive who know the full story. 

On the birthplace question, I spent a week in the National Library of Dublin, and found a report of the Registrar-General in 1892 classifying surnames of children born in that year according to frequency of occurrence in the [line missing here from bottom of the page] 

The statistical relations are such that this is equivalent to a 2% sample (x 48 to get the population). I found that whereas Connolly is a very common name (13th in Ireland, 2nd in Monaghan) Markie is rare. But Markie is confined (in the 1892 births) to Dublin and Monaghan, which ties up. The name McGinn however is common enough in all Ulster, but not specially in Monaghan, and more so in Armagh and Down. Exactly the same is true of Burns and MacBride. This gave me the idea that Connolly’s father came from Monaghan very probably (the distribution of Markie indicating that his grandmother came from there), but that Mary McGinn may not have done, since McGinn, Burns and MacBride are more northern names. I checked the names frequency in the hearth money records away back at 1688, and found the distribution roughly the same, as would be expected in an area losing population. So interpolating I think my conclusion would hold for 1850.

This suggests:

1. Connolly’s father first MET his wife in Edinburgh.
2. Possibly, since she was single, then, her mother or father came over with her. I don’t know how probable it was that a girl would come over alone; it must have happened often. But it may not in this case. This raises the possibilities of tracing the mother’s family in Edinburgh with a further possible line of enquiry.

I was sent a newspaper from the USA in which a man wrote that all the neighbours left Monaghan under the leadership of Connolly’s father and emigrated to Belfast, then Edinburgh. He puts this date as 1880, but as we know, this can’t be true. Could it be 1850? I found one of the townlands where Markies and Connollys were frequent, and found that there was a record of great political upsets and entire districts being evicted about 1850, and the townlands corresponded with the “near Clones” birthplace for Connolly, and this if it can be narrowed down further lends support for my view that what was told of Connolly actually happened to his father when HE was a young man.

I am getting the most detailed material now on the history of land agitation in Monaghan, and so from the two sides may be getting gradually to the solution of the problem.

I’d hate not to KNOW!

I’m looking forward very much to having a proper talk with you, and if I can get to Edinburgh before May (which is still possible) I’ll possibly ring you from Dublin. 

I thought giving you this little interim report on the research would be the best way of showing my appreciation to you for the great help and useful advice you have given.

With every good wish,

Yours sincerely,

C. Desmond Greaves

–   –   –

From H.A.Scott, 17 Craiglockhart Rd., Edinburgh 11, to C. Desmond Greaves, 55 Rosoman Street, London EC1

4^th April 1956

Dear Mr Greaves,

I received your letter of the 23rd of March. Before that I had gone back to the Register House to have a spot shot at the 1891 Census – but with no success. I tried all the likely place around Canongate and also West Port and King’s Stables. It would, therefore, mean a detailed searching through the Edinburgh Enumeration Books – rather a handful, as you will understand.

Before going any further with the official records, I think I would like to wait till I have a chance to discuss the whole thing with you in person. The new information in your last letter seems a bit complicated, and it would be well to thrash it out before doing anything.

The Czechoslovak motor cyclists are sending a team over to take part in the Scottish Six Days again this year and the Edinburgh Club who run the Trials want me to go up to Fort William with them this year. I’m not interested particularly in motor cycling, but I am interested in the Czech boys and my smattering of their language is sometimes useful. So I’ll probably be away from 30th April until 5th May. Then my wife and I will, I expect, be on holiday at Stronachlachar on Loch Katrine from 26th May till 9th June. So I hope you will manage to make your Edinburgh visit at a time to avoid these absences of mine. 

I have re-read the Gilray manuscript. As I had thought, it contains no references to James Connolly at all. There is one mention of John Leslie: taking the chair at a meeting on 2nd of August,1887, to protest against the Irish Coercion Bill. Among the speakers were the Rev. Dr. John Glasse and J. Bruce Glasier.

Gilray’s daughter handed me over a number of old pamphlets which I’ll show you – well-known in their day. But she also lent me a bound volume of the “Labour Chronicle”, which flourished in Edinburgh for a little over a year, 1894-95. I enclose some extracts from it which will interest you. But you probably know already that James Connolly was secretary of the Scottish Socialist Federation at that time. Note the advertisement in No.8 about boot repairs!  Does it refer to the same Connolly, I wonder? I copied out these extracts in case they might be of some use. No harm done if you already know all this.

Yours sincerely 

H.A.Scott

Extracts from the “Labour Chronicle”

(This workmanlike and well-printed monthly was published from the premises of Alex. Dickinson, printer, stationer and newsagent, a well-known and much respected member of the ILP, member of the Edinburgh School Board, at 128 Fountainbridge, Edinburgh. It lasted from October 1894 to December 1895. The following extracts are taken from Volume 1, October 1894 to September 1895.)

No.6, p.3   Parish Council Election – Socialist candidate for St. Giles Ward.

The Scottish Socialist Federation has decided to run James Connolly for the Parish Council in St. Giles Ward. It is not many months since they fought the same ward for a seat in the Town Council, and it is to be hoped that the Irish vote, which went against him on that occasion at the bidding of the “leaders” may this time be cast with more discrimination as to the real interests of the poor electors. There is no “Liberal” vote to “split” now, and the population of St. Giles should know by this time the folly of handing over the care of its poor to those who have made them poor. We wish Connolly and the SSF every success.

No.7, p. 6   List of “Independent Labour and Socialist Candidates” for Edinburgh and Leith. This list gives the names of nine candidates, including James Connolly for St.Giles Ward, who is designated “Socialist Candidate” – the presumption being that the others are ILP.  

No.8, p.12   Socialists support one another

          Connolly, 

   73 Buccleuch Street, 

       Repairs the worn-out understandings 

       of the brethren at standard rates. 

       Ladies’ Boots, 1s 6d. Gents’ 2s. 6d.

              He looks towards you

                     _________

            Scottish Socialist Federation 

     Meetings held in Meadows, every Sunday night 

                    at 6:30 

     Club Rooms, 21 South College Street

            Jas. Connolly, Secretary.

No.9 p.12  (Repetition of the two above advertisements)

No.10 p.12       Scottish Socialist Federation.

                  Meetings held in Meadows, every Sunday night 

                                    at 6.30.  

                     Club Rooms – 65 Nicolson St. 

                        Jas. Connolly, Secretary.

No.11 p.12 (Repetition of above advertisement) 

No.12, p.12.           do.

–   –   –

From Desmond Greaves to The Librarian, The County Library, Monaghan Town, Ireland, and the reply thereto:

25 June 1956

Dear Sir,

While in Dublin last week I was asked by my friend Mrs Ina Connolly-Heron to send you a copy of the “Irish Democrat” containing the reproduction of her father, James Connolly’s, birth-certificate, together with the article which illuminates some of the surrounding circumstances.

I have pleasure in enclosing it.

Perhaps I should add that since publishing that article my researches have gone very much further and I am now in a position to reconstruct the family history with considerable certainty and in much detail. I am having enquiries made both here and in the USA to trace collateral branches of the family and am inclined to think Connolly’s father was born in Monaghan, with a possibility that the mother may have been born further East, but so far there is no certainty.

It may be that when I can get a holiday I may pass through Monaghan and if so I will venture to pay you a visit as we might be of mutual assistance. My feeling would be that although there is no part of Ireland where a monument to Connolly could not with advantage be raised, it would be a pity to hurry matters in Monaghan in view of the possibility that the townland the family came from MAY be found out this year, though of course that depends on circumstances and luck.

I have given Mrs Connolly-Heron a copy of the birth certificate and have myself examined the entry in the books in Edinburgh. In addition to that I  have examined vital documents relating to the entire family in Scotland, and can safely say there is no reasonable doubt to be entertained about Connolly’s birthplace. 

I hope this information will be of value to you. 

Very truly yours, 

C. Desmond Greaves B.Sc.

Editor

–  –  –

From Martin McCabe, Monaghan County Librarian, Town Hall, Clones, Co. Monaghan, to Desmond Greaves

5^th July 1956

A Chara,

Many thanks for your letter received on 26th Ultimo. I would be glad if you would call when you do get holidays. I won’t give my opinion until I see you except to state that I think that we can say with certainty that the townland from which the family came from is definitely a Clones townland.

As it was intended to erect a plaque showing the James Connolly was born in Clones as was locally believed by everyone who knew James Connolly, but the fact that we have now discovered that he was born in Edinburgh has eliminated the erection of a plaque denoting his birthplace. I expect that we could erect one in his honour here rather than in any other part of Ireland without using the words birth or birthplace. 

Hoping to see you soon,

Mise, le meas,

M. McCabe

County Librarian

–   –   –

From Peter Forrest, 50 St Leonard’s St., Edinburgh 8, to C. Desmond Greaves

17 August 1956

Dear Comrade Desmond,

Been so busy lately that it is only now that I have found the time to reply to your two letters. Well, Comrade, one of the two nephews of John Connolly, who works at another brewery the other side of the Kings Park (St.Ann’s Brewery) was visited by me on Wednesday. And in the course of my enquiries said he could not tell me anything re his uncle’s early life as he was a long time in the Army. He however gave me his two sisters’ addresses in the Craigmillar district of Edinburgh. Well, I visited today Friday one of the sisters, a Mrs Richards, who certainly remembers her uncle James, but as she was only 19 when he was executed, she certainly isn’t able to give any information re the very early life of J.C.

However, if it is any information to you, Mrs Richards told me that James Connolly’s surviving son and daughter are alive and reside in Dublin. She adds that the daughter is married to a doctor with the name of O’Brien, but she cannot say for certain if the son is married. Mrs Richards did tell me what she did know about her uncle. He was a strict teetotaller and non-smoker. And James and her father were always on good terms with each other, except once when they fell out only temporarily over James asking his brother to send over a rifle to help the Irish struggle and when John said it was beyond him to do so. She remembers quite clearly when her uncle was employed as a scavenger by the Edinburgh Corporation just before he went to America. It seems to me arising out of the conversation I had with Mrs Richards that her father would have been the greatest and most important link in unravelling the early days of the life of James Connolly, but he died the same year that JC was executed at the age of 56. 

There is a CP member whom I recruited a year ago – I think it is unique in the annals of recruiting for the party. He is a Mr Swan and he is 88 years of age and his son and grandson are also both party members. Well, he also knew James Connolly when the SDF, the early Socialist movement of that time was in being, but unfortunately his memory which is certainly remarkable for his age and is not so good to elicit a great lot of information. This Mr Swan, who was a master gardener, told me that he is the only link left who were close to JC and knew him and his brother John intimately. Well, Desmond, that is the gist of what I have been able to gather up to the moment. If you intend to come through to Edinburgh in the near future, you could and I think it would be worth a visit to Mrs Richards and Mr Swan. The addresses are the following:   

Mrs Richard’s, Ground Flat (Left), 2 Craigmillar Castle Grove 

Mr Swan, Ground, Ground Flat(Left), 8 Oxford St. 

Mrs Richard’s other sister, a Mrs Mackay, I didn’t visit. She lives near by her sister but it even younger years and less able to supply any information.

Welcome Comrade, when you do come through to Auld Reekie again remember my home address. I stayed in 2 nights for you Monday and Tuesday and was very disappointed. Thanks very much for Pamphlet on the Partition of Ireland. Please give me some time on trying to publicise it.

Mrs Richards was telling me that an elder sister would have been in a better position than her to give information about JC, but unfortunately she died 2 years ago. She also added that when you had the advert in the paper here when you was in Edinburgh some years ago re living relations of JC, please contact at Melbourne Place. Well the 3 sisters saw the advert, but for some obscure reason or other decided not to pay any attention to it. I may say that Mrs Richards was and seemed seem very anxious, also ready to speak about her uncle to whom she had the highest regard. Well, Comrade, I will call it a day and I hope sincerely that this letter finds you in good health and  spirits and carrying on the good work of making Socialists. There has been a drift for some time in the Labour Movement on this all important question as the great JC would have said if he was alive and we must stop the rot and remain faithful to the self-sacrificing labours of our forefathers in the early days of the work of working class struggle.

Well Desmond, I don’t know what kind of weather you are having down South for up here it is the worst ever – no sunshine, rain and more rain and bitterly cold. I have experienced better weather during the winter time. My eldest brother, writing to me from Australia, says they are having the worst weather in living memory. The people there are blaming the nuclear bomb tests and my brother adds that that demonstration are taking place all over Aussie land demanding that the tests be stopped. He says in his letter that because of the credit squeeze thousands of emigrants are returning home. Menzies has done what they are going to do here in Scotland – withdraw all subsidies for housebuilding [i.e. Robert Menzies, 1894-1978, Prime Minister of Australia]. Ah well, what can expect when one leaves capitalism in the saddle. 

Best wishes and kind regards,

your very comradely

Peter Forrest

–  –   –

From H.A. Scott, 17 Craiglockhart Rd., Edinburgh 11, to C. Desmond Greaves, 55 Rosoman Street, London EC1

23^rd August 1956

Dear Greaves,

I received your letter a few days ago and am glad to know that you are making progress. If you manage to break your journey when visiting Dundee next month, I would be very pleased to see you in Edinburgh.

Surely J.C. did not stay in Dundee for any long time? Remember that when he was married at Perth on 13/4/90 he gave his usual residence as 22, West Port, Edinburgh, and his daughters Mona and Nora were born in Edinburgh in 1891 and 1892 respectively.

I enclose a note of the results of my researches anent John Leslie. I’m afraid they don’t help you much, but at least they prove that he was born in Edinburgh. I started off with the 1911 Census and the knowledge that about that time Leslie lived in St. James Place – where the SDF used to meet. But mark my note that the 1911 information is confidential and should not be quoted. You will observe that Leslie’s age as given for death registration is incorrect – should be 62.

I shouldn’t think there is much chance now of finding out how Leslie came to enter the Socialist movement. We do know that he was concerned in meetings of protest against the Irish Coercion Act and it seems reasonable to guess that he came to Socialism via Irish Nationalism.

I tried another “spot” search for C’s parents in the 1891 census. The mother died at 15 Alison’s Close, Cowgate, in 1892, so I tried that address in 1891, but with no success. They were devils for flitting! So I fear there is nothing for it but to go through the Edinburgh 1891 Census seriatim – on the very odd chance that the Parish of Birth of John Connolly may be mentioned.

There is still the matter of the sister of Lily Reynolds – Margaret, her marriage and children, if any. This I have left over for the moment. “Uncle Peter” too is still in the offing – with the further complication that he passed under an assumed name, but no further information as to when and where he did in fact “pass”.

That’s all for the present, I think. 

Best regards, 

Yours sincerely, 

 H.A. Scott

–   –   –

From Desmond Greaves to H.A. Scott

[Undated, but sent in late 1956] 

Dear Mr Scott,

Many thanks for your letter. The information about Leslie is at any rate confirmation that he was born in Edinburgh. By the same post I received John (James’s brother)’s son’s present address; it is 41, Peffermill Rd. Also in the meantime a friend in Edinburgh found John’s two daughters and when I’m up again and see them we may have a little more. My friend said they knew nothing much, but he may not have known the questions to ask. That is the secret. A general enquiry always draws a blank.

Then again he found an 88-year old man (born the same year as Connolly) called Swan who claimed to be the only living contact with Connolly’s youth. I take him to be the man who is in my records as proposing Connolly for the City Council in the election of 1894. The trouble is his memory is going!  Still, he may know something once we can get him talking. Fortunately the memory is best for matters of early youth.

About Connolly in Dundee, did I tell you I had the letters examined by ultra-violet light (there is an uncertainty due to a correction) and it seems Connolly was in Dundee from early 1889 to the time of his marriage. The letters refer to him securing the lodgings at West Port. Lillie was afraid she’d have to live with his parents and was glad to get the house to themselves. She was then in London and came to Perth only so as to fulfil the residence requirement. JC was working at Dundee and talked about going back for a purpose after they were married, but these circumstances are still obscure. So he must have been in Dundee a year and two months. He refers to a strike there, so I may be able to identify that from the Dundee papers, which are unfortunately not yet available after the war in the British Museum.

I hope to break my journey and look forward to seeing you again. It was very enjoyable last time. 

Yours sincerely

 C. Desmond Greaves

–   –   –

From H.A.Scott, 17 Craiglockhart Rd., Edinburgh 11, to C. Desmond Greaves, 55 Rosoman Street, London EC1

9^th January 1957

Dear Greaves,

I apologise for being so long in replying to your letter of the 7th November last. I have been at the Register House and had a good look for a record of the death of Peter Connolly (or MacBride), but without success. I searched the General Index of Deaths for the years 1908-1922, but could not find anyone that looked like your man. My research was confined to Edinburgh and Leith, as it would have taken a good deal more time to cover the whole of Scotland. The presumption is, I take it, that if he died in Scotland at all, it would be Edinburgh. I looked under both names – Connolly and MacBride – and all spellings of these, but it was of no use. By a coincidence I did find a Peter Connolly, aged 72, who died in Edinburgh in 1912; but I think you will agree that he is not the man you want. These are his particulars:-

Peter Connolly, aged 72, General Labourer, Widower of Catherine Hanlon

Father – Peter Connolly, Farmer

Mother – Mary, maiden name Call

Died at The Home, 43 Gilmore Place, Edinburgh

The informant of the death was an official of the Home, so presumably the man has no near relatives in Edinburgh.

So I’m afraid that’s all I can do about Peter, unless you light on some more information.

I should mention that I also made a start on the systematic search of the Edinburgh 1891 Census records for the Connolly family – which, as you know, I had so far failed to find by “spot” searches. It is rather a big job as there will be 200-300 Enumeration Books to examine. But we are told that “C’est le premier pas qui coûte”, and I hope to return to the fray in the near future and will let you know the result in due course. I feel I ought to find the entry – and it might by chance give the Parish in Ireland where John Connolly was born.

I hope the book is making progress. I see you have disturbed a hornet’s nest in the D.W.[i.e. The Daily Worker] .

Good wishes for the New Year,

Yours sincerely,

H.A. Scott

–   –   –

From H.A.Scott, 17 Craiglockhart Rd., Edinburgh 11 to C. Desmond Greaves, 55 Rosoman Street, London EC1

22^nd January 1957

Dear Greaves,

I have two letters of yours to deal with. Let me take that of the 12th of January first. You can assume without any question that the official certificates you have received are complete copies of the entries as they appear in the Registers. The explanation of the fact that more information is given in the 1855 “Extract” than in the 1856 document is that 1855 was the first year of civil registration in Scotland and they began with brave intentions of recording very full, genealogical particulars. Presumably this was found impractical – either it was too cumbersome or it was more than people would stand. Anyway, it only lasted one year, and for 1856 the information was considerably curtailed.

That disposes of your first point. As to the second, it did not seem to me at all likely that the Connolly family would be in Dundee in 1891 – much more likely that I have simply failed to find them in Edinburgh. But I looked at the Dundee records and easily found the household of Owen Boyle – married, aged 56, Licensed Hawker, born “Ireland” – at 9 St. Mary St.; Wife, Mary, aged 56, also born “Ireland”. There were six “Boarders”, 

[The lower right-hand quarter of the page here is missing, so that the lower left quarter contains only the fragmentary sentences below]

I am afraid I must admit defeat as regards …

Census. I have now searched the whole of the …

Canongate and St. Giles, and also those parts …

which include West Port, High Street and Grassmarket …

Andrew Dist. which includes St. James Place … 

drew a blank. Of course I may have just missed …

search, but I don’t think it worth while …

of Edinburgh. They wouldn’t be in the West End …

in the Canongate, Cowgate, West Port etc. … 

anyhow, even if found it would be a very odd …

place would be stated more definitely than just … 

By the way, here is a household I noticed …

Canongate:

John Connolly,   Head, Mar. aged.

Mary    do.         Wife    do. 

William do.         Son 

Elizabeth do.      Daur. 

John    do.         Son 

Mary    do          Daur.

John Connolly, James’s … 

have been 29 at the 1891 …

his wife to have been Elizabeth Aitchison – so I expect the Census entry quoted above refers to a different family of the Connolly clan.

Now for your letter of the 11th January. I confess I find the relationship “mother’s brother’s wife’s sister-in-law” a little difficult to follow – without the relative documents – but you say you want “the entry for Owen Boyle in 1889”. This I do not understand. Is this a death entry? If so, it cannot be the same Owen Boyle who lived at 9 St. Mary Street, Dundee, in 1891 and was then 56 years old. Maybe I’m being a bit dense, but no doubt you can easily clear this point up.

I’m glad to know that the writing of the book is getting well on to completion and hope the finishing touches will not cause you undue difficulties. You will be careful, of course, not to quote any Census entries or to mention the Census records at all. 

I’ll be seeing you if you come up to Edinburgh. Glad to know that R.P.A. is well [i.e. Robin Page Arnot, founder member of the CPGB, cofounder with R. Palme Dutt of the “Labour Monthly”, of which he was assistant editor for much of its history.]

Yours sincerely

 H.A. Scott

–   –   –

From H.A.Scott, 17 Craiglockhart Rd., Edinburgh 11, to C. Desmond Greaves, 55 Rosoman Street, London EC1

5^th March 1957

Dear Greaves,

I got your letter of the 6th February, but have only now managed to pay a visit to the Register House.

You will be surprised to learn that I have failed to trace any record of the death of Owen Boyle in or around the year 1896 – in Dundee or anywhere else in Scotland. I wonder what the explanation can be? The name is uncommon so there should be no difficulty in spotting it. Can it be that when his name disappeared from the Directory – or from whatever other volume that Librarian consulted – he did not die, but only left Dundee?

I also had one more “go” at the 1891 Census. This time I looked for the Connollys in Buccleuch Street. You will remember that J.C. had his cobbler’s business at 73 Buccleuch Street in 1895. This effort on my part was at best a forlorn hope and it yielded nothing. I hope your endeavours in respect of the Irish records have been more successful.

With best wishes,

Yours sincerely,

H.A. Scott

–   –   –

From H.A.Scott, 17 Craiglockhart Rd., Edinburgh 11, to C. Desmond Greaves, 55 Rosoman Street, London EC1

11^th April 1957

Dear Greaves,

At last I have managed to put in a forenoon at the Records – in an attempt to trace the marriage of Owen Boyle.

The only information I had to go upon was (1) his name, (2) that he gave his age as 56 at the 1891 Census, (3) his occupation at that Census (Licensed Hawker) and (4) his wife’s Christian name (Mary). He was, therefore, born about 1835.

I searched the marriage Indexes from 1855 – when civil registration began – right up to 1891. I found six marriages where the bridegroom was named Owen Boyle, but only one with Mary as the Christian name of the bride. Here are the particulars of it:-

Registration Dist. of Tradeston, Glasgow

Marriage Register,1869, Entry No.144 

Bridegroom

Owen Boyle, Boat Builder’s Labourer, aged 38. 

Father: Owen Boyle, Agric. Labr. (decd.) 

Mother: Mary Boyle, maiden surname Brannan (decd.)

Bride

Mary McEwan, Cotton Factory Winder, Aged 37

Father: James McEwan, Cotton Weaver (decd.)

Mother: Rebecca McEwan, maiden surname Cochrane (decd.) 

Married 17 March 1869 at 104 Centre Street, Tradeston, Glasgow (which was the “usual residence” of both the parties) by the Rev. Donald Carmichael according to the forms of the R.C .Church. Witnesses: Thomas Boyle and Mary Ford. 

Whether that is the man you are looking for or not, you will best be able to judge. According to the age stated, this man would have been born in 1831, but you can’t depend too much on the ages stated either at marriage or at the Census. (I hesitate to suggest that the Irish are more lax in this respect than the canny Scots!) But certainly the Owen Boyle of the 1891 Census might easily have understated his age by a year or two.

If the above-quoted is not your Owen Boyle, then your man must either (a) have been married before 1855 (which is quite possible, though not likely) or (b) have been married outwith Scotland. 

I think that is all I have to say at present– except to wish you luck with your cycle tour in Ireland.

Yours sincerely,

H.A. Scott

–   –   –

From H. A. Scott, 17 Craiglockhart Rd., Edinburgh 11, to C. Desmond Greaves, 55 Rosoman Street, London

21^st August 1957

Dear Greaves,

I have your letter of the 18th August and am glad to hear that you have made some progress in recent days. Certainly I’ll try a shot for the Boyles in the Perth Census records of 1891 and 1901. But I am sorry that I cannot tackle the job just at the moment. We have our daughter and two of the family with us from Czechoslovakia and my spare time is very limited. It may be that I won’t have time till after they go away – that is, in the middle of September. Of course if I can find an odd hour or so I’ll certainly do it before then, but you will understand if you do not hear from me for a few weeks. 

Yours sincerely,

H.A. Scott

–   –   –

[From H .A. Scott to C. Desmond Greaves]

 Enclosure with letter of 23/9/1957     [The letter itself was not kept.]

Census 1891              

66 Pomarium Street,  Peter Boyle  Age 31  Railway porter  Born Ireland

Perth                         Bridget “            29                         Methven, Perth

                                John      “              4                               “

                                 Helen    “             11mo.

Census 1891

16 Leonard Street    Thomas Boyle        27  Machine Agent    Forfar

 Perth                      Jessie     “     Wife  22                           Burlton                         

                               Wm.C     “     Son     2                           Dundee

                               Jessie R.  “    Daur.  6 mo.                      Perth

                               Jessie Robertson Aunt 41                       Lochee

                               Jane Robertson  17 Visitor                          “

Census 1891

102 High Street       Andrew Angus           38 Factory Mechanic   Perth

Perth                       Jessie    “       Wife    28                                “

                               Janet     “       Daur.    4                                 “

                               James   “        Son      3 mo.                           “

                                        * * *

Census 1901 

53 Meal Vennel,       Peter Boyle                41  Grocer’s Vanman       Ireland

Perth                       Bridget  “       Wife     39                                 Methven          

                               John      “       Son     15   House Painter (App.)  Perth

                               Helen.    “       Daur.     8

                               Peter     “       Son.       6

–   –   –

From Desmond Greaves to General Sir Hubert Gough (1970-1963)

Sir Hubert Gough G.C.B.

14 St. Mary Abotts Ct.

London W.14

6 May 1955

Dear General Gough, 

I am venturing to presume on our brief acquaintance during the time we were co-operating with the “Commonwealth Irish Association” here in London, to ask you if you can help me with some information required for a literary purpose.

 I am anxious to know if the Queen’s Liverpool Regiment was ever stationed in Dublin 9 (or elsewhere in Ireland) and related to this is the question whether there exists any regimental history of this regiment, whether it is true that it was regarded as an “Irish”  regiment, and finally is there any place where I could find the names of regiments stationed in Ireland from time to time listed? I suppose there would be some military gazette where posting etc. could be found, but I am ignorant of such things.

If you could help me with this I would be very grateful indeed.

With every good wish,

Very truly yours

C Desmond Greaves

P.S. Mr Dooley, whom you will remember, went abroad, suffered a severe heart attack and though recovered, is taking things easily on a provincial newspaper [J.L.,“Pat”, Dooley edited ”Irish Freedom”, later the “Irish Democrat” for some years during World War 2].

• –  –

From General Sir Hubert Gough,14, St Mary Abbots Court, Kensington, W.14; (Western 6928) to C. Desmond Greaves 

7 May 1955

Dear Greaves,

I am afraid I cannot answer any of your questions satisfactorily, but I can tell you where you can probably get all the information. Write to “the Secretary”, War Office, Whitehall, and say what you want. It might smooth things a bit if you said you would be prepared to go and see the authority concerned and thus save some correspondence.

There are no such things as official Regimental Histories, but most regiments have had their own history privately produced by one of their own officers, and if the Liverpool Regiment did get one written, the person who could tell you about it would probably be the secretary of their Old Comrades Association. Here again the War Office might be able to tell you who he is and the right address. I never heard of the Queen’s Liverpool Regiment – but there was a regiment of Liverpool Irish, commanded at the time by a grand fellow, Sam Dowling, killed (I think) in Delville Wood, 1916. 

Hope all goes well with you –

yours sincerely 

Hubert Gough 

–   –   –

From the War Office Records Centre, Worcester Road, Droitwich, Worcs. to The Editor, “Irish Democrat”, 55 Rosoman Street, London EC1

19 May 1955

Dear Sir,

With reference to your further letter of 12 May 1955, relative to James or John Connolly, I am to say that it is not possible to trace the records of an ex-soldier in the absence of the name of the unit in which he last served, and the number held by him. If this can be obtained, a further search will be undertaken. Some hundreds of men with the names of James Connolly and John Connolly served in the British Army during the 1914-18 War.

As regards the third paragraph of your letter, the address of the King’s (Liverpool) Regiment Comrades Association is Harington Barracks, Formby, Lancs.

Yours faithfully,

H.D. Lamond

–   –   –

From C. Desmond Greaves to the Director, The Passport Office, London

15 December 1955

Dear Sir,

During the summer months I ventured to enquire of you if it was possible to trace the application for a passport to visit Chile on the part of James Connolly of Edinburgh (possible address College St. or Nicolson St.) in the latter part of the year 1895, which I hope will furnish information confirming his place of birth, possible parents’ place of birth and other particulars which I require for literary purposes. 

You were kind enough to put through a telephone call suggesting that if I want to repeat the inquiry at a time of year when the office was free from summer holiday demand, you might possibly be able to trace the records.

I therefore now take up your suggestion, and would be extremely grateful to if you were able to find any information to me on this subject.

Yours very truly,

C. Desmond Greaves B.Sc.

Editor

–   –   –

From Desmond Greaves, 6 Cockpit Chambers, 20 Northington Street, London WC1, to the Secretary, King’s (Liverpool) Comrades Assoc’n, Harington Barracks, Formby, Liverpool

[Undated, but sent in late 1955 or early 1956]

Dear Sir,

I was informed by my friend General Sir Hubert Gough that there was a Liverpool Irish Regiment in existence, and he suggested that I ask the War Office for the address of the Comrades Association, which I did, and thus obtained your location.

For literary purposes I am anxious to know something of the history of the King’s Liverpool, in particular whether they were stationed in either Edinburgh or Dublin at any time before the year 1900, and the time when it was. While making researches in Edinburgh I was told that the Edinburgh Irish boys used to join the King’s (would it be Queen’s, then?) Liverpool because it counted as an Irish Regiment, but that they often joined under assumed names. I would be very grateful to you if you could provide any information on these matters, and also if you have any members who could possibly remember personnel who were serving around 1880-90 … They would be very old men now.

Many thanks in anticipation,

Yours very truly, 

C. Desmond Greaves, B.Sc. (Liv). 

–   –   –

From Captain C. Baker, Secretary, The King’s (Liverpool) Comrades Association, Harington Barracks, Formby, nr. Liverpool, to C. Desmond Greaves, 6 Cockpit Chambers, 20 Northington Street, London WC1.

19 March 1956

Dear Sir,

I duly received your letter some months ago, in which you requested information about the history of our regiment.

There is not now a Liverpool Irish Regiment in existence. There was, for some 50 years, a Liverpool Irish Battalion of our regiment – firstly it was formed about 1875 as a Militia Battalion, and eventually became in 1908 a Territorial Army Battalion, the title being the 8th Bn.(Liverpool Irish) The King’s Regiment. It took part (1st and 2nd line Bns.) in both the 1914-18 and 1939-45 wars; became a Royal Artillery Regiment – the 626 H.A.A. Regiment (Liverpool Irish) R.A. – on the reformation of the T.A. in 1947. It has now become a Battery of R.A.

As regards Battalions of our Regiment being stationed in Scotland and Ireland since formation in 1685, I give the following years during which the Bns. as stated were so stationed:- 

1^st Bn.   1689 to 1691       In Ireland. Title – Princess Anne of Denmark’s          

            1698-1701           Regiment of Foot    

            1715 to 1717

   1722 to 1739       In Scotland,  Stations unknown. Title -The King’s   

   1745 to 1746       Regiment 

   1763 to 1765

   1806 to 1807 

            1816 to 1818 

            1835 to 1838.   In Ireland. In Dublin on several tours. Title after 

            1842 to 1843    1873 – The King’s Regiment (Liverpool)

            1865 to 1866

            1882 to 1889

            1920 to 1921

2nd Bn.      1806             In Scotland

                 1858             In Ireland

                 1873 to 1877     “

                 1897 to 1904     “

3rd. Bn.  1814-1816  In Ireland

4^th Bn.    1900.           In Ireland

I have shown your letter to several very old soldiers of our Regiment, but none of them were able to enlighten me as the whether Edinburgh Irishmen particularly enlisted in The King’s; but I myself think it was quite feasible as our Regiment has always had a number of Irishman enlist into it, at least until the last ten years.

I have been unable to contact any old soldiers of our Regiment who served with it around 1880-90; the dozens of whom I had a record of as having served with the Regiment in the Burma War of 1885-87 and Afghan War shortly afterwards, are all gone to the great Valhalla.

Having served for over 30 years in the Regiment, I remember a great number of Irishmen who served with me at different times, but none from Edinborough [sic]. It is highly probable, however, that when the two Battalions were serving in Scotland 150 years ago, they obtained a goodly number of Recruits for the Regiment then. Until the Regiment became affiliated to Liverpool in 1873 it was a very cosmopolitan one and in fact had, I understand, a number of Londoners in its ranks.

Yours faithfully,

C. Baker

Secretary

–   –  –

From Desmond Greaves to Captain C. Baker M.S.M., Harrington Barracks, Formby, Liverpool.

2 April 1956

Dear Captain Baker,

May I offer you my warm thanks for your letter of 19th March, which arrived while I was in Ireland, and for the detailed account of the Liverpool Irish Battalion. You must have gone to considerable pains to get that information together and it was most kind of you to do so.

I wondered if I might further venture on your generosity to ask two questions. The first is, does the fact that it was in 1875 a Militia Battalion mean that men could enlist for short service, for example three years? I have heard that normal service was eight years in the late nineteenth century, but that shorter service was possible in the Militia. Second – and this is hardly a question, though I would greatly appreciate your comments on it – I happened by accident to come across the following in a Dublin paper dated 1900:

“About 1860 the 64th Volunteer Rifles was started and later rechristened the 5th Irish Volunteer Regiment (King’s Own) Liverpool Regiment. Uniform was dark green and the badge was the Irish harp surmounted with the crown. The band used to play Irish airs wherever it went and there were church parades on Saint Patrick’s Day.”

Would you say that this refers to the same thing? And is it accurate? – If it is correct it would seem that the ‘rechristening’ as it calls itself here would be the event you refer to as taking place about 1875; I suppose it would be quite possible for the Militia Battalion you speak of to be ‘formed’ in the sense of being composed of other units which might be brought together and given a new name. I would be [Line at bottom of page missing here]  

… it is namely the ‘United Irishman’, edited by Arthur Griffith was not necessarily very authoritative on such matters.

With thanks once more for your most useful information, I remain 

Very truly yours

C. Desmond Greaves

Editor

–   –  – 

From C. Desmond Greaves to the Officer in Charge, Portobello Barrack, Dublin, Ireland

17 December 1956

Dear Sir,

For literary purposes, I am anxious to know whether the ‘Kings Liverpool Regiment’ ( I think its official title was 4th Bn. King’s Regiment) was ever stationed at Portobello Barracks during the 1880s.

From what I am given to understand by their regimental historian, the 4th Bn. was in Ireland from 1882 to 1889, but paid only visits to Dublin on what he describes as ‘tours’. Of course I do not know what sort of records the British left behind them, but it struck me that you might be able to consult some record which would provide me with the information I desire.

Thanking you in anticipation, I am,

Faithfully yours

C. Desmond Greaves B.Sc. 

Editor

–   –   –

From Captain V. Crawford, Adjutant, 2^nd Eastern Battalion, Cathal Brugha Barracks, Dublin, to Desmond Greaves

12^th January 1957

Dear Sir,

I am directed by the O/C to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 17th ult.

I very much regret delay in attending to the matter but I have been making enquiries on the questions you pose.

There are NOT any records in existence here containing the required information and inquiries have failed to throw any further light on the matter.

Yours sincerely,

V. Crawford

Captain.

–   –   –

From L.W. Playfair, The War Office Records Centre, Hayes, Middlesex, to Desmond Greaves

15th August 1957

Sir or Madam,

I am commanded by the Army Council to acknowledge receipt of your letter of August 8th 1957, subject James Connolly, and to inform you that it has been forwarded to The Secretary, Public Record Office, Search Department, Chancery Lane, London, WC2, for attention. 

I am, Sir or Madam, 

Your obedient servant.

 L.W. Playfair.

–  –  –

From Wm. Franklin, for the Secretary, Public Record Office, Chancery Lane, WC2, to C.Desmond Greaves

21 August 1957

Dear Sir,

              James Connolly 

Your letter of August 8 to the War Office has been forward to this Department as most War Office Records of the relevant states are preserved here.

It is possible that you will be able to extract the information you seek from those War Office Records. The Musters of 1st Battalion, 8th King’s Liverpool Regiment [W.O. 16/1405-8, 2918, 2930] cover the period in which Connolly was serving. There is an Index to Casualty Returns for the Battalion which might also help you.

These and other War Office Records down to the year 1902 are open to your inspection in the Public Search Rooms here. An application for a Student’s Ticket together with a copy of the rules and regulations respecting the public use of the Records is enclosed.

You should know that the Search rooms will be closed for stocktaking and cleaning purposes from 23rd to 28th September inclusive.

Yours faithfully,

Wm. Franklin 

for Secretary 

–   –   –

From the War Office Records Centre, Bourne Avenue, Hayes, Middlesex,

to C.Desmond Greaves, 6, Cockpit Chambers, 20 Northington Street, London WC1 

2 October 1957

Dear Sir, 

                 re: James Connolly, 1^st Bn. King’s Liverpool Regiment

In reply to your letter dated 23rd September 1957, it is regretted that this Centre is not in possession of Pay Lists from the period 1882. Pay and accounting documents are destroyed after retention for the period prescribed by law.

Yours faithfully, 

W. James.

–   –   –

Letters from John Mullery, a political colleague of James Connolly’s in Dublin and New York, to Desmond Greaves. Connolly spoke of his army service to Mullery when they lived in New York (See Journal excerpt above):  

32 Exmouth St., Everton, Liverpool 6 

2 – 6 – 1957

Dear Mr Greaves,

I am sorry that we cannot meet this Friday as I am going into hospital tomorrow, Wednesday, and expect to be operated on on Friday. If you are in Liverpool on Sunday you could call to the hospital. Visiting hour is 3 to 4 p.m. but I don’t think it would be worth your time calling because what I have to say might take more than one hour. So let’s leave it for a couple of weeks. The address of the hospital is Liverpool Royal Infirmary, Pembroke Place, Ward 9. I am enclosing prepared Telegram. You can get a refund. 

Yours sincerely 

John Mullery

–   –   –

32 Exmouth St. Everton, Liverpool 6 

30-6-1957.

Dear Mr Greaves,

Thanks for sending me the Irish Democrat and pamphlet. I found them quite interesting.

Next time you come to Liverpool and can find time to call on me I would like to have another talk with you about Connolly and some of the members of the I.S.R.P. I am not satisfied with the little amount of stuff I gave you for your book, so I would like to let you have a little more to write about. 

I expect to enter hospital on next Wednesday and if all goes well I expect to come out in about two weeks. I can always find time for you. On Sunday I go to see my daughter in the home and don’t return before 5.30. So I am home then. You could drop me a card to let me know when about to expect you. 

Yours sincerely

John Mullery

–   –   –

32 Exmouth St., Everton, Liverpool 6  

9 -9 -1957

Dear Mr Greaves, 

I was pleased to hear from you as I am anxious to give you all that I know about Connolly’s work in the I.S.R.P. Also, I may be able to clear the air about De Leon’s hostility to Connolly. Make it about 11.30. If I am not in the house at that time, please wait a few minutes as I may be out on a message. So I will look forward to next Monday morning. 

Yours truly 

John Mullery

–   –   –

32, Exmouth St., Everton, Liverpool 6

[Undated]

Dear Desmond,

Received your card and a letter [from] Ina, I am enclosing her letter. 

It tells how she got along since she left here. I have written her address down so you need not hurry to return it. You can bring it along when [you] are coming here. It should not stop you from writing as I will welcome a line from you anytime. 

Sincerely

John Mullery

–   –   –

32 Exmouth St., Everton, Liverpool 6

4-11-1957

Dear Desmond, 

Many thanks for your offer to come over to Dublin with me if I were thinking of crossing, but I am too old to go during the winter months.

Did you ask Jack Lyng about Connolly’s activities in the States from 1907 up to the time of his leaving for Ireland? We don’t want Lyng to change his views at all, whatever they are. 

Now above the Connolly letters, I don’t see why you lose time waiting for Ina Connolly Heron currently to read first before you could have a look at them. I find that there is nothing private in them. You want to get on with the book. The letter will be here for her to take away with her when she [is] going to America or on her way back to Ireland. Let me know. 

You are always welcome anytime you are in Liverpool.

Yours sincerely 

J. Mullery 

–  –   –

32 Exmouth St., Everton, Liverpool 6 

14 – 12 – 1957 

Dear Desmond.

I was pleased to get your letter. Ina and I were wondering what was wrong in not hearing from you in a long time. I thought you were offended by the abruptness in my letter about Jack Lyng’s letter to you stating that “he still holds the same opinions”. I think that I can explain all about it when you come to Liverpool, that is if it is the same old row.

Ina thinks I am wrong about the Miles Joyce prisoners, so I would like, if it would not be a lot of trouble, if you could get the date or near it. When did Spike cease [to] hold the prisoners of the Miles Joyce affair?

Ina asked me to tell [you] that she has bought all the books Labour in Irish History from the [word omitted here]. I forget whether it is 1,2 or 3 [word unclear] something, but she wants to let you [have] a hundred pounds to do something with it. I am sorry but Ina will tell you herself when she is writing to you.

When you come here, I could manage to put you [up] for the night.

Sincerely,

John Mullery

P.S. I will send you Ina’s address when I hear from her. J.

–   –   –

32 Exmouth St., Everton, Liverpool 6

29 -12-1957

Dear Desmond,

It came to my mind after you left here on Thursday, you read from Jack Lyng’s letter that “Mullery housed and fed Connolly”. I may have taken this thing up wrongly, but right or wrong I may state that I was was  [sic/duplicate word inserted] never lucky enough to be able to help poor Jim with food because at that time I was having a very lean time of it myself. When next you come this way again I’ll explain all about it to you whether I have the letters or not. Of course, it will be of great assistance to me if I have the letters here with me. I did have a talk with Ina about them, but I am not satisfied over the whole thing. I feel that there is a muddle somewhere. 

Yours sincerely 

John Mullery

–   –   –

32 Exmouth St., Everton, Liverpool 6

15- 1-1958

Dear Desmond,

I had a letter from Ina this morning with letters enclosed. Also copies she asked me to forward on to you. It will give you time to read them at your leisure. 

Have you read Desmond Ryan’s “James Connolly”? I have one here in the house, so we will have a talk on it. Between the book and the Connolly letters we will be quite busy. 

When you do come here, don’t wait for any set time. Just come to the house. I will not leave the house on that morning. 

Yours sincerely, 

John Mullery 

P.S.  Ina is in California. J.M.

–   –   –

From the Public Record Office, Chancery Lane, WC2, to Desmond Greaves 

12 August 1958 

Dear Sir,

Thank you for your letter of August 11. No transcript of the trial of James Connolly before a military court in 1916 is known to preserved among the War Office records in this department. War Office records of that date are in any case not open to inspection without the permission of the Secretary of State for War.

It is suggested that you address your query to the Permanent Under- Secretary of State, the War Office, Whitehall, London SW 1.

Yours faithfully,

M.J. Williams

for Secretary

–   –   –

[Three letters from Desmond Ryan to Desmond Greaves re James Connolly, the first two written in 1951 and the third in 1956.  Desmond Ryan, 1893-1936, journalist, historian and socialist republican, wrote the first biography of Connolly, titled “James Connolly”, in 1924]

Oulart, Forrest Road, Swords, Co. Dublin

May 18, 1951

Dear Desmond Greaves, 

Thanks for your letter. The only thing that worried me about not hearing from you was that I was not sure whether I had read your address rightly, and I also wanted to correct what I had told you in my first letter about the S.P.I. It is a small point. The I.S.R.P. continued until 1904 when the name changed to S.P.I. I think there was some dispute in the old party about the name and hence the change to satisfy all sections. When the party was reorganised some months before Connolly’s return from the USA in 1910, the S.P.I. name was retained.

About Connolly’s birthplace. I think you have made your case for Edinburgh conclusively enough. The document must be genuine unless there was a most incredible coincidence, which seems absurd. Still the mystery remains about the Monaghan story, Connolly’s acceptance of it, and the family tradition on the point. On this these points will interest you.

• The Lyng paragraph was written as publicity for Connolly’s first USA S.L.P. tour in 1902 either when Connolly went there or just before –  before I think by my recollection of his W.R. [i.e.Workers’ Republic] articles. His only comment on it was a terse sarcasm about the date of his birth, given as 1870. O’Shannon and others concluded later that it should have been 1869. He seems to have been very reticent or not interested in exactitude about his early life, which as Lyng said, had been a hard one.

• Nora Connolly once told me her mother claimed that Connolly had been brought over to Scotland while still a child in arms, and argued that my account that he was about 10 years old then was wrong.

• The I.S.R.P. members closest in touch with Connolly thought the Monaghan story was true, perhaps because of some W.R. articles, semi-autobiographical, which mentioned Ballybay – in particular the one I mention in “The Rising” about a night in the Mendicity Institution, Dublin.

• I was wrong when I told you that Leslie gave the Monaghan story. He said nothing about it. He dealt with Connolly’s early life in Scotland etc. (See by the way, an interesting article, ‘The Irishman’, May 12 1928, “James Connolly, Story of commencement of his work in Dublin,” by William O’ Brien. There is a good deal about  start of I.S.R.P.,  Leslie, etc. worth consulting with references to “Justice”.

• In the “Irish Press”, April 28,1941, there was an article in Irish by Séamus O Mórdha, M.A., which stated that Connolly was born in a small parish half-way between Ballybay and New Bliss. The name of the parish or townland is given Irish as “Bó Coill” which I haven’t been able to trace in several lists of Irish place-names I looked up. It is in the Clones district. Perhaps when you go to Monaghan some local scholar could tell you. It was also stated that half a dozen old people still remembered Connolly’s parents, that the walls of the house where he was born were still standing, that his parents were labourers, and his father emigrated to Scotland while Connolly was yet an infant. The other place name mentioned in the article is easily identified, Annalore, Clones. I have never been able to come in contact with the writer. Perhaps these few names will help you in your inquiries. In his W.R. article on the Mendicity, Connolly mentioned a cabin situated “where the road from Keady strikes over the hills into the town of Ballybay.”

• You are right of course to brush aside the Cork theory. It didn’t last long. It appeared in the first edition of the “Irish Times” 1916 Handbook, and was corrected to Monaghan in the second 1917 and later reprints.

• I am very doubtful about your statement in your “Irish Democrat” article that Connolly worked as a linotype operator on De Leon’s paper. In February 1932 John S. Clarke wrote to me that “J.C. first came into direct touch with De Leon when he visited America as an S.L.P. lecturer. They boosted him as ‘The Intellectual Scavenger’ and ‘The Poet Philosopher’. I cannot remember the date of this visit (Four months in 1902). He lectured all over. He was a scavenger in Edinburgh – and returned to Scotland. Taking night classes at the Heriot Watt College he learned how to work the linotype machine and became a skilled operator. He went to America, joined up with the S.L.P. and got into trouble because they thought he had spoofed them as a “scavenger”. They could not understand his being a skilled operator on his second visit and he was too Irish to explain.” This sems reliable enough as Clarke was in touch with De Leon and wrote the brief life of De Leon which appeared in the “Edinburgh Socialist” in De Leon’s lifetime on materials supplied by De Leon himself. Of course, Clarke does not say Connolly did not work or did work on the De Leon “Weekly People” as a linoman. But if there was such feeling it is hardly likely. Clarke knew the other items, Church, Bebel’s book, economic points etc. in the C.-De Leon controversy but had lost the material about them in raids during that World War and couldn’t say much. Moreover, after De Leon’s death an S.L.P. booklet called “Homage to De Leon” or some such title mentions the controversy with Connolly and sneers at him as having literary ambitions to become editor of the “People”, that he was refused a staff job on the paper, that ordinary hard work as a manual worker was not good enough for such an aristocrat etc. It is difficult to fix such details. I am just mentioning the doubts I have.

• Quite a number of people seem to have missed the March issue and your document [i.e. the March 1951 issue of the “Irish Democrat” which carried a copy of Connolly’s birth-certificate and Desmond Greaves’s article on how he had established the true facts about the birthplace. See the previous item on this website for that article]. I mentioned it to Thomas Johnson and he had not seen it. Several others told me the same.

• All the statements I made in my book about Connolly’s Edinburgh days, the election etc. were based on Leslie’s information.

• The enclosed article from the “Daily Sketch”. May 2, 1916 about Connolly’s family, and an extract from J.T. Murphy’s book “New Horizons” which I mentioned to you may be of interest. 

Best wishes,

Desmond Ryan

–   –   –

From Desmond Ryan, Oulart, Forrest Road, Swords, Co. Dublin, to Desmond Greaves

September 19, 1951

Dear Desmond Greaves,

Many thanks for your letter of September 4t last to which I had meant to reply sooner but I have been so busy with some final proofs and other work that all my letters were much behind. As to the “Irish Democrat” slip, don’t worry, printers will be printers, it’s just the sort of thing they would do. I shouldn’t call too much attention to it. When I got your note, I hadn’t seen either the August or September issues but got them some days later in New Books. Some days ago, the August-September issues were sent here from your London office.

I enjoyed my talk with you very much. Enclosed the information about the Connolly kidnapping in 2nd ed. of “The Rising”. Also the reference to the Gompers book which has much information on Irish labour leaders and activities in the U.S.A. It confirms all that was said in the July “Democrat” about J.P. Mac Donnell, and more.

Very much surprised to hear that Dorothy MacArdle thought I was “trailing my coat” at your lecture in Trinity. So she told my wife, who replied I was fed up with a lot of the stuff that is being hashed up about J.C. for the youth of Ireland, and may have been a trifle aggressive. This is true in other connections, but I didn’t think you were hashing up legends at all, and hope I sounded as peaceful and as admiring as I felt.

What does surprise me is the absence of comment from any section of the press about your discoveries of new facts on Connolly’s birthplace.

Best wishes,

Desmond Ryan 

P.S. I was glad to see that you are looking up Engels’ Irish connections and work in Manchester. Will you kindly make T.A.J.’s [i.e. T.A.Jackson]  life a hell until he tells you whether he found anything in the Moses Barritz (?) papers or if he got these papers and what that gentleman was said to have discovered on Engels’ links with the Fenians and his life in Manchester. T. A.J. mentioned this to me years ago. Perhaps it was all hope and talk but it didn’t sound so, and there must be more to be said than there has been up to this.

–   –   –

From Desmond Ryan, 3 Charleston Road, Rathmines, Dublin, to Desmond Greaves

December 21, 1956

Dear Desmond Greaves,

Many apologies for not answering your letter of November 6th sooner but I have, as you will see from new address, moved from Swords and only just got straightened out. I think myself that Monaghan is a false trail. As regards the Mendicity article it had to be suppressed as below Connolly’s better standards as a writer, and contained no personal detail whatsoever beyond what I quoted in my letter to you and summarised in “The Rising”. Nothing is told of the young outcast who tramped from Monaghan to scald himself to death in the Mendicity except that he was as hungry as a famished tiger and had spent nights out in Dublin, shivering on the steps of Nelson’s Pillar, then unfenced with iron railings, and according to the story, known as “the City Sofa” for social outcasts. In full the closing passage ran:

“Where the road from Keady strikes over the hills into the town of Ballybay, an old woman knelt down that night in her lonely cabin to pray for him, her darling son, who had gone up to the ‘big city’ to make his fortune. And as her eyelids closed in slumber the last vision which passed before her was the sight of her boy, invested with the Lord Mayor’s chain of office, presenting a petition to the bar of the House of Commons.”

That’s the best I can do in this matter. 

A Merry Christmas and the best of luck in the New Year.

Yours sincerely,

Desmond Ryan 

P.S. Did I tell you that Henry Morris, Ulster folklorist, could find no trace of Connolly in Monaghan? Hope we meet for a talk some time.

–   –   –

[There are twelve letters from Ina Connolly-Heron to Desmond Greaves in the Greaves documentary archive.  Five are reproduced below as they refer to James Connolly’s British army service.] 

From Desmond Greaves to Ina Connolly-Heron

2 August 1956

Dear Ina,

Thanks for yours of yesterday. In case you do not manage to make contact, I have made inquiries about sailing tickets and you do not need them of the 13, 14, 15 or 16 from Liverpool to Dublin, but you would need them on the 17^th and 18th. You have therefore nothing to worry about. You just walk on the boat.

I anticipate travelling to Clones from Liverpool on the 13th. I am trying to find a boat to take me direct to Dundalk or Drogheda; otherwise I may travel on the night of the 12th via Stranraer and Larne.  I’m taking a few days holiday combined with it and may possibly, though not certainly, come back through Dublin towards the end of that week.

I think the major problems of the biography are now solved. Of course filling in the details will be laborious. I wish you had been able to get over, as I would show you all the photostats I have got; but I have not forgotten the need to give you a list of them. The summer is a terrible busy time for me as the CA has meetings all the time all over the country. You may have seen them on the Democrat. It is hectic for all of us. 

About Patricia Rushton, you should get her at the Movement for Colonial Freedom. But I have written to her several times there (374 Grays Inn Rd. WC) but had no reply. However I was told that she has a bit of a personal grudge against me (tho’ I don’t know what I have done to her) and made an attack on me at the last Executive Council of the MCF. . .  This is of course  confidential in case you were  saying you were in touch with me.  I have no doubt she would reply to your letters. I think someone has “put a bug in her ear” as they say in the USA.

Regarding the plaque, I had it out. Then in the thunderstorm last week the roof leaked like a sieve and I had to move [line missing at bottom of page here]

and stack it up – so I’ll bring it to you when I’ve sorted everything out. It was unfortunate that Jack Beech went into hospital the very week I brought it over.

With kindest regards

Very truly yours,

[Copy of signature omitted]

–   –   –

From Ina Connolly-Heron, 13 Belgrave Square, to Desmond Greaves

22 – 6 – 1957

My dear Desmond,

Many thanks for your letter. I was delighted you saw Mulray. I delayed answering yours until I saw Trainer [? Name unclear], which I did on Tuesday. I told him my story and he explained that the occasion was one of his memories which he promised to put in writing for me and a very nice story it is. He never heard of the B.A. story [i.e. British army] and is quite prepared to believe it to be true and referred me to William O’Brien. He believes he is the only one to confirm it. By the way he is in Dublin at present and I’m expecting to see him shortly about another book I’ve on hands about my mother. I’m getting a great deal of help from my cousin in California. She sends me a number of questions to fill in and she writes the stuff very well, so that will be something else on hands. I’ve also heard from Captain Monteith’s daughter in New York who has her book with the publishers. She did not come across any letters from my father to hers, and if she does she will let me have them immediately. However that will bring more interest in my book and I’m feeling very hopeful. I will send off a few lines to Mulray now about his letters and I will write McBride meanwhile. I’m in the throes of constructing and redecorating these premises. Please send me Gurley’s book [i.e. Elizabeth Gurley Flynn,1890-1964, American labour activist] and a list of father’s works as soon as possible. I’m longing for you to see my latest attempt on a book. The time is flying, and don’t let me get away without seeing you once more. 

Yours as ever 

Ina

–   –   –

From Ina Connolly-Heron to Desmond Greaves…No address given, but evidently Dublin

24-7-1957

My dear Desmond,

I fulfilled all my promises to you. I saw my cousin and she never heard of the B.A. [i.e.,British Army] – nor would she have taken any notice if she did. But she said mother lived with her mother in a small house in Rathmines and it was in a church club that she was a member, that she met all the people whom we later met and made me think it was an orphanage. She went to Scotland on visits with my parent but could give no information about any relations there, and there are no Wilsons in Dublin. They went out East and some to Australia. At all events she said mother would never discuss any of her business with them. I heard from Mulray and he is giving me the letters. I also heard from G. McBride. He thinks you cannot do justice to your subject with a small book as you suggested to him. He thinks, and I don’t agree that it is better left undone if not properly tackled in a big way. I think the more people that are doing something now is more important than someone in the near future who will not have us available to help no matter how small our contribution. So get on with the work. 

I’ve been to the Embassy and got my papers and am now awaiting a date for my medical, so you better watch out or I’ll be on my way before I see you in Dublin. My cousin has me started on another book on my mother. She is asking the questions and I’ve just to answer and she will do the remainder, so you never know what I’ll end up at. I was speaking to Hilda Albery the other day and she was busy asking for you and wishes to be remembered [She was secretary of the Irish-USSR Society in Dublin for a period]. She has been ill and in hospital but has made a wonderful recovery. You did not let me have G. Flynn’s book to read. My how you neglect me. I promised to visit Jack M. [presumably John Mulray/Mullery] before I sail.

 You sincerely,

 Ina

–   –   –

From Ina Connolly-Heron to Desmond Greaves; written from Dublin

8-9-1957

My dear Desmond,

I had intended writing last Sunday but was called out on some say was Parish work. I’m therefore a week late and I hope I remember all I wanted to say about the book. By the way, may I give it on loan to Tom Johnson, please. Elizabeth has made some errors according to my calculations and if I am right I feel that one cannot depend too much on her material [The book was presumably Elizabeth Gurley Flynn’s memoir, The Rebel Girl: An Autobiography, My First Life (1906-1926)].  Perhaps I am wrong, so please put me right. She says at the opening her son died March 29, 1940, at the age of 29. He was born May 19, 1910. Father left USA in July 1910 and we in the end of October or beginning of November – I’m inclined to think the beginning of November as we were aboard ship on my 14th Birthday, November 8th.

Sorry, I’ve been disturbed by a cable and will have to go into this some other time.

We had a big gathering last night to hear Dame Kathleen Lonsdale speak for the Irish Pacifist group. She was in great form and upheld the USSR in every way possible. What a woman.

Brian went up to her on his own and talked the matter over of his doing Science and she had a long chat with him. He was so pleased she took such an interest in him, not knowing anything about him only as one of the audience [Brian Connolly-Heron, 1941-2011, was her son. In later life he was an organiser for the United Farm Workers in California].

Mrs Tom Johnson was there and said Tom is going downhill rapidly. The death of Mortished shook him greatly. How are you getting on? I must see Wm. O’B shortly. He wants to see me before I go away and I want to have everything on paper to ask him for our mutual benefit. I’m so glad you got information about the army side. I wrote Jack Mulray and said I would go and see him when he leaves hospital and collect the letters. I may sail from Liverpool. I did not ask George McBride about the letters but wrote and asked him to call at Nora’s address but got no reply. Do you think I should ask him? He is a very hard man to get anything out of. However I will try and at all events he can only refuse me or ignore me. I certainly think we are entitled to them. I’m going to the Johnsons this week and she, Mrs Tom, has some she is giving me. Whether they are of any interest to you is not likely. I will let you know.

Nora [ie. her sister Nora Connolly-O’Brien,1892-1981] is as at present near you attending some conference and I’m trying to get my houses set. Until then I cannot plan or see ahead of me any distance. Wee Brian and I went up to Belfast to see the film “Freedom”. We thought it great. We never see anything like it here.

Do let me hear from you soon as to how you are progressing. I trust you are well and hard at it. 

Sincerely yours,

 Ina

–   –   –

From Ina Connolly-Heron to Desmond Greaves, addressed from 13 Belgrave Square, Rathmines, Dublin

4-11-1957

My dear Desmond,

I saw William O’Brien last night and I agreed to give him my letters in return to have copies of the missing “Workers” that you want [presumably issues of Connolly’s “Workers’ Republic”]. I gave him the completed list and he says I have more than he has. He will check up and return list. He was very affable and I asked him what he intended doing with them. He has 230 letters and he hopes to start on them soon; he is working on another job and he has been kept more busy than usual in the Bank [The Government nominated O’Brien to the board of the Central Bank following his retirement from trade union work]. He proposes to print all the letters and to insert references to their interpretation. He was surprised to hear Mullray [sic] had any, and George McBride. Mrs Johnson is giving me her collection. This week I wrote George McBride and told him of my departure but did not mention the letters. I thought it better tactics to wait until I have Mullray’s. William O’Brien gave me his broadcast script on Father for my book. It is very good and I am pleased. Tom Johnson hopes to write something for me. 

Now I had a long session with sweet William. He does not see that there is anything to be gained by trying to prove his period in the B.A. [ie. British Army] and gave me a long story of his likelihood of being in Egypt and India. He could have been in Spike Island at the hanging of Joyce 1885 while the letters I have is Dundee 1888-1890, he still could have been there and back [Myles Joyce, an innocent man, was hanged in Galway for the Maamtrasna murders in December 1882. John Mullery informed Desmond Greaves that James Connolly told him in New York that he had been on guard duty at Spike Island in Cork Harbour on the night of the execution and that he felt terribly sorry for the condemned man.]. He recalled the day we spent with mother in Wicklow when she said she was aware of his services. This was without my mentioning it.

He mentioned several interesting stories and gave me J. Carolan’s address but I’ve left it behind and will have to call for it again. He lives in Ferguson Rd., Drumcondra.

I hope to see him in a day or two and I propose offering to him that I will undertake the publishing of Father’s if he predeceases me under his instructions and carry his wishes out at my own expense if he is prepared to do so. That would keep them from being put in the dungeons and out of everybody’s reach. Perhaps you could tell me how to word this suggestion or make any suggestions you think I should put up to him. He is in great form and by the look of things could live another 50 years. He is now 76 years.

Let me hear from you as soon as possible. No word from Mulleray [sic] yet.

Goodbye and good luck. 

Yours in the good cause

Ina

–   –   –

From Ina Connolly-Heron to Desmond Greaves, sent from Dublin

8-11-1957

My dear Desmond,

Yours arrived just now and I scribble this off before I go out to see the Lord Mayor.

W.O’B. [i.e.William O’Brien] has all the originals of Mulray [sic]. 

McBride did not answer me. 

W.O’B. has promised to give me powers to fulfil his undertaking of the letters if he predeceases me. There are 230 with him and he says some would be better not printed. He will plan and start them as soon as he is finished his present job.

I’m sailing on 16th. inst. That means leaving Dublin 15. I’m very tired and I’m longing to get away.

Let me hear from you and I will try to carry out all your wishes. 

Yours,

Ina