Edward Lee

Bellevue and Home Rule
In early 1914, the family moved from The Grange to a smaller but
equally beautiful house, Bellevue, on Cross Avenue in Blackrock,
Co. Dublin. Edward and Annie entertained friends in the large
ballroom. They now attended the Church of Ireland parish of St. Philip
and St. James’ on Cross Avenue, at some stage changing from Methodists
to Anglicans. Although the Lees were of a Unionist background they
were pragmatic, not political. It is probable they saw that change was
coming and would now have been somewhat supportive of the aims of
John Redmond and the Irish Parliamentary Party regarding Home Rule.
‘All lines of demarcation amongst
Irishmen should cease with the
passing of the Home Rule Bill.’
With the passing of the Home Rule Bill, there was extensive discussion in
the papers regarding the importance of ‘associating with the civic life of
the metropolis’. Interviewed by the Freeman’s Journal in November 1914
about this, Edward Lee remarked, ‘The articles are sound and patriotic
and I have read them with much interest. I cordially agree with the
suggestion that all lines of demarcation amongst Irishmen should cease
with the passing of the Home Rule Bill and that no man, because of his
political views he held, should be debarred from entering public bodies
and receiving the highest honour in the gift of the municipality’. 41
41 Freeman’s Journal. 19/11/1914
46 Edward Lee