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An original copy of the Proclamation of Independence comes up as lot 937 at Matthews sale of a single owner collection on the evening of November 30. This rare survivor – the most important document in the history of the Irish Nation – was issued by the Irish Volunteers and the Irish Citizen Army and read by Padraig Pearse from the steps of the GPO on O Connell Street, Dublin on Easter Monday 1916. This copy was last sold at Adams in Dublin in 2006. It is estimated at 120,000-€180,000.
An unpublished archive that celebrates the “The Gorgeous Wrecks” – a group of over-military age men who defended Dublin’s Beggars Bush Barracks’ during the Easter Rising of 1916 comes up at Dix Noonan Webb in London on November 10. Lot 232 includes the inter-War C.B.E. (Civil), 1916 ‘Easter Rising – Defence of Beggars Bush Barracks’ D.S.O., Great War O.B.E. (Military) group of eight awarded to Major and Adjutant George Arthur Harris of Dublin University Officer Training Corps, Territorial Force, who led his poorly armed column of above age military reservists in a week long defence of Beggars Bush Barracks during the 1916 Rising.
It will be sold with an important archive of related material including the recipient’s unpublished diary of the Defence, written during the siege on ‘Beggars Bush, Dublin’ headed writing paper. As he commented “The whole business was horrible, as one never knew who was for or against you. An innocent looking civilian would walk past the barracks, see our position and then go to a house and snipe. The fighting in France I think was infinitely preferable to this and in this others concur.” The lot is estimated to fetch £8,000-12,000. UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR £18,000
A medal awarded to Lieutenant Basil Worswick, killed on April 29, 1916 at the Guinness Brewery in Dublin during the height of the Easter Rising sold for £1,300 at Dix Noonan Webb in London today. He was shot by a guard, who thought he was a Sinn Fein spy. The 1914-15 Star plus was expected to fetch £400-500. Worswick went with the 2nd Battalion to Ireland to help quell the disturbance in the Dublin. On the night of April 28/29 a detachment of the Dublin Fusiliers was stationed at the malt house. When the night clerk of the brewery, accompanied by Lieutenant Lucas of the King Edward’s Horse, was making his nightly round he was challenged by the very nervous guard of Royal Dubliners. Mistaken for Sinn Feiners trying to infiltrate the brewery premises, the guard shot both the night clerk and Lucas dead. Worswick heard the commotion. He arrived at the malt house to find that his fellow officer had been killed. Challenged and searched by a sergeant of the Dublin Fusiliers he rushed at him. Seeing this the guard believing Worswick to be a Sinn Fein spy, killed him instantly.
The Company Quartermaster Sergeant in charge of the party of Dublin Fusiliers, Robert Flood, was court-martialled and acquitted for the deaths of Lieutenants Lucas and Worswick. His actions were attributed to the confusion and panic of the Easter Rising. He died in action in Macedonia the following year.
‘Reward of Merit Royal Irish Constabulary’ (Constable Michael Lavelle No. 62279 1916)
The Easter Rising is Co. Galway is recalled at a two day auction at Dix Noonan Webb in London on February 27-28. Lot 176 is a 1916 ‘Easter Rising’ Constabulary Medal (Ireland) awarded to Constable M. Lavelle, Royal Irish Constabulary, for his gallantry in the defence of the Police Barracks at Gort, Co. Galway, on April 25, 1916. This was Easter Tuesday, the day after the Rebellion started in Dublin. At 7.20 am on that day there was an attack on the police barracks at Gort which continued until 10:30 a.m. The barracks was fired upon, and the windows were smashed. The rebels numbered 100 at first, but the number increased as time went on. Stone barricades were built across the road at each end of the village.
The barracks was defended and held by five policemen, who were first called upon to surrender by rebels who threatened to blow up the barracks. It was attacked with rifle fire, and bombs were exploded outside. The police were called on twice to surrender through the Rev. Tully, but refused, and held on for over three hours.
The rebels then withdrew to Clarenbridge, where they were reinforced by others. An attack was made on Oranmore Barracks. The attack there commenced shortly after noon. The railway line and the telegraph poles were cut, and a large hole was made in the bridge. The barracks at Oranmore was defended by four policemen until relief came at 7:30 p.m. through the arrival of a party of police and military from Galway. Lavelle’s medal is estimated at £3,000-4,000.
UPDATE: This sold for £7,800
Maria Cregan’s manuscript.
An autograph letter journal by Maria Cregan, with an eyewitness account of the Easter Rising, comes up at Bonhams in London on November 15. Her day to day account opens as follows: I went with Carrie Slacke and her son Randal to Sugarloaf Mountain for the Easter holiday… At Harcourt Street the first thing I noticed was a wrecked motor car opposite the station and rather many people about but also that there were no trams. I walked towards Stephen’s Green and asked had there been an accident and was told there had been a rising of Sinn Feiners. They had taken the College of Surgeons and the Green, had dug trenches in the green, barricaded the streets with all kinds of vehicles &c and had run up the Republican Flag on the College of Surgeons (this last I could see myself from the corner of Cuffe Street). I asked a man who was standing with a bicycle if I could get through, but he said it was too dangerous and even as he spoke a volley rang out…”
There are entries made for each day from Tuesday April 25 to Friday May 6, 1916. The ten pages on thin office style paper, signed and dated Maria J. Cregan, May 6, 1916 carry an estimate of £700-900. UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR £1,875
This mallet salvaged from Liberty Hall is part of a collection of Easter Rising memorabilia at Sotheby’s English Literature sale in London on July 11.
The auction will feature a map of Dublin issued to crown forces before going into action in 1916, a rare second printing of The Proclamation, the second manifesto of the provisional government, a propaganda newsletter, news cuttings, postcards and ephemera. The lot is estimated at £15,000-20,000.
A half sheet of the original proclamation is estimated at £6,000-8,000. The sale includes the first Irish printed edition of Milton’s Paradise Lost and a c1753 review of The Revenue Laws of Ireland.
An extract from the autograph diary of Lt. Henry Douglas.
An autograph manuscript diary recording a British Army officers’ service in Dublin during the Easter Rising comes up at Sotheby’s in London in July 12. Lt. Henry Douglas of Matlock in Derbyshire was in the 2nd Battalion of the Sherwood Foresters, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment, which was hurriedly transferred to Ireland on April 26, 1916.
Dublin after the Rising.
An exhibition and valuation of Easter Rising memorabilia will take place at the Gresham Hotel in Dublin on January 31. Sponsored by The Irish Independent and Whyte’s it will include an original example of The Proclamation of The Irish Republic, Joseph Plunkett’s 1916 Rising Service medal, Pádraig Pearse’s newsletter War News No. 1, letters and autographs from the leaders including Pearse, Connolly, MacDonagh and others, a collection of newspapers published during the Rising, photographs and picture postcards of the fighting and aftermath, weapons and militaria from the period.
Whyte’s valuers Ian Whyte and Stuart Purcell will be on hand to value items associated with the Rising, the War of Independence, and other historic events. Whyte’s will hold a special auction of 1916 memorabilia and other historical collectibles on March 13.
