Harold Barton Mansfield was born in Dublin in 1880. He emigrated to American in 1908 and is listed in the 1910 census as being resident in Los Angeles, California, and employed as a clerk by Tille Garatas Trust. Eveleen, born in 1881 in Dublin, joined him for a short period and they were married in California in 1909. She returned shortly afterwards, where she took up residence in her family home at 11 Grosvenor Sq., Rathmines, Co. Dublin.
Sometime between 1910 and 1916 Harold joined the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Force. In 1916 he enlisted in the Royal Dublin Fusiliers, 10th Battalion. He was active on the Western Front, and experienced trench warfare at the Somme first hand, a number of his letters are written from the trenches. He was killed in action on the 13th November 1916, during the Battle Ancre (13th – 18th Nov. 1916). He is buried in Knightsbridge Cemetery. He was survived by his wife and child, Marjorie Mansfield (DOB 1917).
Eveleen Mansfield passed away in 1937.
Archival History ↴
This collection of letters was donated to the Royal Dublin Fusiliers Association (RDFA) by Maurice Bryan, grand-nephew of Eveleen Bardon, wife of Harold Barton Mansfield. It was donated to the Royal Dublin Fusiliers Association Archive via Tom Burke (chairman of RDFA), July 2016.
The collection contains a number of letters written by Harold Barton Mansfield to his wife, Eveleen Mansfield (nee Bardon), letters and a telegram Eveleen Mansfield received upon the death of her husband, a newspaper clipping and a collection of envelopes. The letters describe hardship of life in trenches, experience of the Irish soldiers serving in the British Army.
Appraisal Destruction ↴
Permanent Retention
Accruals ↴
No accruals are expected
Arrangement ↴
The collection is arranged chronologically.
Conditions of Access & Use
Access Conditions
Available to view by public who apply for research card in Dublin City Library and Archive Reading room Terms of membership and in accordance with copyright legislation
Conditions Governing Reproduction
Subject to Dublin City Library and Archive Reading Room Terms of membership and in accordance with copyright legislation.
Creation Dates
31 August 1916-14 August 1920
Extent Medium
22 items
Material Language Script
English
Characteristics Tech Req
The collection is made up predominately of handwritten letters.
The royal Dublin Fusiliers Association archive (IE DCLA/RDFA) is located at the Dublin City Archives
Descriptive Control Area
Archivist Note
DCLA archivist
Rules/Conventions
IGAD: Irish Guidelines for Archival Description. Dublin: Society of Archivists, Ireland, 2009.
ISAD(G): General International Standard Archival Description. 2nd ed. Ottowa: International Council on Archives, 2000.
