Online publication of significant record set
reveals the stories behind the Easter Rising
and Ireland under Martial Law
17 April: Findmypast
launches
online today the most complete collection of British War Office records relating
to the Easter Rising and Irish War of Independence from 1916-1921. The
collection, digitised from original records held by The National Archives in
Kew, reveals the struggles of life under Martial Law in Ireland, and
demonstrates how events under the occupying military served to galvanise
support for the rebels.
Totalling
more than 75,000 records, the collection will be free to access for ten days at
Findmypast.ie from
today, 17 April, in advance of the 100th anniversary of the Easter
Rising on 24 April 2016.
More
than 3,000 people were injured or killed in a conflict which saw three
civilians killed for every one rebel. The records reveal the impact that the
conflict had on men, women and children across Ireland. There are eye-witness
accounts, interviews with civilians and reports of the trials of the leaders of
the Rising and their sentences of execution.
The
once classified records shine new light on the subsequent period of Martial Law
in Ireland which was declared by the Lord Lieutenant in 1916, including the War
of Independence, when the British military assumed control of the executive,
judiciary and legislative arms of the entire country.. The contents of the
collection provide a picture of what life was like for ordinary citizens in
Ireland during this turbulent time.
The
25,000 search and raid records show the efforts of the military and police to
discover arms, ammunition and seditious material through thousands of raids as
well as their search for individuals associated with Sinn Féin, Irish Citizen
Army, Irish Volunteers and the Irish Republican Army. Members of the public
accessing the records on Findmypast will
find the names of the thousands of people who were detained and interned in
prisons in Ireland, England and Wales and tried by courts martial, including
the names of prominent nationalists and elected officials.
Military
correspondence between the barracks in Dublin and the War Office in London
grants new perspectives on the motivations and fears of the British Army
leadership. The movements and actions of several key nationalist figures are
also documented, including those of James Connolly, Eamon De Valera, Thomas
Ashe, Joseph MacDonagh, Arthur Griffith, Padraig Pearse and Francis and Hannah
Sheehy Skeffington and Countess Markievicz.
Key
items from the collection include:
·
Daily
situation reports
sent by the British Army from Dublin to London between 24 April and 12 May 1916
documenting events during the uprising
·
A
report from the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief confirming the execution
of iconic Irish socialist and rebel James Connolly, who owing to
injuries sustained in the conflict had to be strapped to a chair before being
shot
·
Court
martial reports
sentencing prominent nationalist, politician and suffragette Countess
Markievicz to two years in prison for “assisting and promoting crime and
murder”
·
Witness
statements
from civilians caught up in the Rising
·
Documents
authored
by Michael Collins seized from a safehouse used by the nationalist
figurehead
·
Details
on raids of pubs such as the Brazen Head, hotels, nationalist club houses such
as the Ancient Order of Hibernians and thousands of homes
·
An
urgent and secret warning from Sir C Spring Rice, British Ambassador in
America, of gun running in Ireland
·
A
telegram to the Prime Minister to report the expected surrender of the
rebels from the Lieutenant General John Marshall
·
Internment
files including the personal letters from prisoners or their relatives
testifying to their innocence
·
Details
on the hunger strikes of interned prisoners
·
Secret
documents
that reveal the British Military’s own concern with some of the behaviour of
the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC)
The
collection was digitised in partnership with The National Archives in London
and contains documents from their WO35 series, War Office: Army of Ireland:
Administration and Easter Rising Records. Totalling more than 110 million records, Findmypast has the
largest Irish family history collection available online.
Brian Donovan, Head of Irish Records at Findmypast,
comments:
“These records constitute an extraordinary resource
which will transform the search for answers about our ancestors' activities
during 1916 and the years that followed. While those who fought were small in
number, the war impacted on the lives of ordinary people in many ways. We’re
extremely fortunate to have these records to help us make some sense of it.”
Neil Cobbett, Irish records expert at The National
Archives, said:
"This represents a major contribution and
potentially a vast step forward for public understanding of these events from
all points of view. It will really help
to throw light on the actions of participants and the whys and wherefores of
what happened. Whether you are a
researcher seeking answers to some of the bigger questions, or a family
historian or biographer, this collection will help you in your historical
research, or in finding out about your forebear's or other participant's
involvement."
About Findmypast
Its lead brand, also called Findmypast, is a searchable online archive of
over eight billion family history records, ranging from parish records and
censuses to migration records, military collections, historical newspapers and
lots more. For members around the world, the site is a crucial resource for
building family trees and conducting detailed historical research.
In April 2003, Findmypast was the first online genealogy site to provide access to
the complete birth, marriage, and death indexes for England & Wales,
winning the Queen’s Award for Innovation. Since that time, the company has
digitised records from across the globe, including the 1911 Census and the
recently released 1939 Register which they digitised in association with The National
Archives. www.findmypast.co.uk
The National Archives is one of the
world’s most valuable resources for research and an independent research
organisation in its own right. As the official archive and publisher for the UK
government, and England and Wales they are the guardians of some of the UK's
most iconic national documents, dating back over 1,000 years. Their role is to
collect and secure the future of the government record, both digital and
physical, to preserve it for generations to come, and to make it as accessible
and available as possible. The National Archives brings together the skills and
specialisms needed to conserve some of the oldest historic documents as well as
leading digital archive practices to manage and preserve government information
past, present and future.
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