I’ve always enjoyed the classic British comedy Citizen Smith, the work of John Sullivan, who later gave the world Only Fools and Horses. I think anyone who has spent any time in left-wing politics in particular can only laugh at poor Walter Henry Smith, or ‘Wolfie’, as he attempts to bring revolutionary inspiration to the people of South London.
A great Dublin dimension to it all is the fact that Walter Henry Smith’s nickname in the programme, Wolfie, is taken from Theobald Wolfe Tone. While in Paris, Theobald Wolfe Tone operated under the alias of Citizen Smith, with ‘James Smith’ appearing on his fake American passport. Tone had travelled to the United States in 1795, and while there attempted to drum up the support of the French Minister for the cause of Ireland.
Ralph E. Weber, in his study of United States diplomatic codes and ciphers, details a very interesting letter received by James Monroe in 1796, as a sort of introduction to the revolutionary Dubliner. Monroe, who would become the fifth President of the United States, was at that point serving as the Minister to France. As Weber has noted:
The text of the letter introduced the bearer to Monroe as a friend, Mr. James Smith, “who has been about two years in our Western Country in pursuit of lands, and now visits Europe in search of a good market.” The enclosed portion of the letter, however, revealed the bearer’s name to be Theobald Wolfe Tone, and that “the bearer hereof is an agent from Ireland in whom you may confide. His object is to obtain of France aid in favor of his distressed country what that aid should be and the manner of giving it he will mention.”
Sadly, I’ve been unable to find any reference to Sullivan explaining just why he took Theobald Wolfe Tone as the inspiration for naming the character. Neither Citizen Smith the secretive Irishman, or Wolfe the London revolutionary, ever brought about the change they envisioned for their respective people sadly. For anyone who has never watched the classic comedy, it is available to view on YouTube today. Below is the pilot episode, which even opens with The Red Flag.
Well I never. I bet Tone’s girlfriend’s mother never called him ‘Foxy’ though.
As far as I can remember Wolfe Tone had given up the ‘Irish cause’ when he went to America and had accepted voluntary exile and emigrated to start a new life as a farmer with his wife and daughter but he found the life too difficult. He had sent to Ireland for seeds for planting and when they arrived in port there was a letter explaining how he should go to France to gain support for another rebellion..so he left America leaving his family behind..they followed him to France later. It was on this trip to France that he used the fake passport and became the London based beret wearing left wing revolutionary we all hold dear in our hearts.
Another Citizen (Partridge) was presented with a three episodes video of Citizen Smith by his fellow student’s, many years ago. This might just be an urban legend?
Citizen Smith is believed to have had links with the Newbridge Liberation Front (NLF)
The blue-white-and-red cocquarde Citizen Tone wore in his tricorne hat as he stood trial in full French revolutionary uniform on November 8, 1798 is on display in the Jackie Clarke Collection in Ballina. Very moving to see it.