Category: 100 Years Ago

31 MARCH 1923

Martha Lunny was brutally murdered in Gostoral, near Enniskillen, with the killing taking place in the Irish Free State and the body dumped in Northern Ireland, meaning the killer ultimately escaped justice.

The Imperial War Relief Fund and the Save the Children Fund raised the subject of the refugee crisis that was taking place in Constantinople (now known as Istanbul) with over 30,000 now in the city who were homeless with widespread illness.

Private O’Connor from the National Army died from his wounds following at attack made by the Irregulars earlier in the week.

30 MARCH 1923

The Consolidated Fund Act and the Unemployment Insurance Act received Royal Assent in the Lords.

There was a debate on education in the House of Commons with concerns about the size of classes, the number of teachers and training.

Coal was struck in County Tyrone, thought to be the largest seam in the UK.

A large number of Irregulars were arrested in Ireland with the organisation starting to struggle financially.

29 MARCH 1923

The Government announced that in the interests of economy that the Royal Marine Artillery and the Royal Marine Light Infantry would be merged.

Captain Arthur Evans proposed an amendment to the 1912 Protection of Animals Act, stating “The Bill would give a magistrate, sitting at a Court of Summary Jurisdiction, the power to award corporal punishment in the case of gross and persistent cruelty.”

The Mines (Working Facilities and Support) Bill was read for a third time in the House of Lords and was passed.

The Treasury removed a £500 subsidy given to the House of Lords Refreshment Department, with Peers being asked to donate £1 each.

28 MARCH 1923

Walter Guinness, the Under-Secretary for War, announced that Field Punishment Number One was to be abolished. The punishment had been used over 60,000 times during the First World War but was controversial and considered cruel.

Unemployment, emigration and land settlements were discussed in the House of Commons during the debate on the Consolidated Fund Bill.

Archbishop Cieplak and Father Budkiewicz were sentenced to long periods of imprisonment in Russia.

Exchequer returns showed that the annual tax revenues in the year so far amounted to £890 million.

A mass meeting took place in Aylsham in Norfolk where a strike was taking place by farm workers, with the action expected to last for several weeks and potentially for the entire summer. The workers said that they would view negatively any time by farm owners to source workers from outside of the county.

David Lloyd George, the former Prime Minister, visited Edinburgh to talk about international peace.

27 MARCH 1923

Ian MacIntyre was unanimously adopted as the prospective Unionist candidate for the West Division of Edinburgh.

The International Socialist Conference was held in Berlin, attended by representatives from countries including the UK, France, Belgium, Germany and Italy. It made resolutions including ensuring that Germany could afford their reparations bill, devastated areas of Belgium and France should be restored by Germany and the French should leave the Ruhr Valley.

The second reading of the Local Authorities (Emergency Provisions) Bill was carried in the House of Commons by 303 to 53 votes.

The Guardianship of Infants Bill was read for a second time in the House of Lords.

26 MARCH 1923

The Prussian Government took firm action to suppress a conspiracy movement that was attempting to overthrow it, with fears in Berlin that there might be a coup d’etat in Prussia. The revolt against the Government was being led by Adolf Hitler who had battalions which were undertaking manoeuvres in Munich.

Kevin O’Higgins, the Minister for Justice of the Irish Free State, said that the Government would protect places of amusement in Ireland following threats of attack by the Irregulars.

Farm workers in Norwich declared a strike after failing to reach an agreement as to hours and wages.

25 MARCH 1923

The press reported that the Government was under pressure to leave Iraq as the cost of maintaining a presence in the area was high.

A number of cinemas in Dublin were attacked after Republicans demanded that they closed because of recent executions of members of the Irregulars.

There were nine wards up for election on Leyton Urban District Council, with Labour losing two of them to the Ratepayers’ Association.

24 MARCH 1923

The German authorities arrested a number of nationalist plotters.

A debate took place in the Dáil Éireann, the Irish Parliament, on whether a customs duty should be imposed on British car exports.

The Government said that since the end of the First World War Britain had scrapped 2.25 million tonnes of battle shipping.

23 MARCH 1923

Lord Newton led a debate in the House of Lords regarding a reduction in the size of the Upper Chamber and a discussion was had about a reform of the Lords. Lord Curzon questioned the hereditary principle, saying that two thirds of the Peers who had a right to sit in the Lords had little interest in the work that was carried out.

The negotiations between the National Liberals and the Independent Liberals on a view to reunion of the parties broke down.

Wilhelm Cuno, the German Chancellor, urged those in the French occupied Ruhr Valley to continue a process of passive resistance.

22 MARCH 1923

A debate took place in the House of Lords on the country’s preparedness in the matter of air defence.

The Royal Commission on London Government rejected the scheme for one central administration of local governance in the capital, but recommended an equalisation of rates over urban areas within ten miles of Charing Cross.

The Minister of Labour set up a committee to look into the present conditions as to the supply of domestic female servants.