Billy Spence
Encyclopedia
Billy Spence was a loyalist
activist in Northern Ireland
. A native of the Shankill Road area of Belfast
Spence was a leading figure with both Ulster Protestant Action
and the Ulster Volunteer Force.
, later to become an even more prominent loyalist. He was the son of William Edward Spence, who was born in Whitehaven
but raised in Belfast, and Isabella Hayes. In 1945, Billy Spence was critical of his younger brother's invitation to Paddy Devlin
to play for the Old Lodge football team.
In keeping with the military tradition of the family Spence served with the Royal Navy
as a young man.He then worked in the Belfast Corporation's transport department as a timekeeper. In this role he served as a member of the Transport and General Workers' Union
. He flirted with socialism
and was sometimes critical of the failure of the Ulster Unionist Party
to choose working-class candidates for deprived areas.
(UPA) executive, and was appointed as its chairman. Billy introduced Ian Paisley
to his younger brother, In 1962, along with John McQuade
, he joined the Ulster Unionist Party
's Court ward branch, as part of an entrist campaign by UPA members, and was soon appointed as Jim Kilfedder's election agent
. During the 1966 UK general election, Paisley spread rumours that Kilfedder had links with Fine Gael
, and Spence blamed this for the loss of the Belfast West
seat to the Republican Labour Party
's Gerry Fitt
. Spence also served as secretary of the West Belfast Imperial Unionist Association.
believed that Billy was the chief organiser. They believed that he formulated a "false flag
" strategy for the group, arranging bombings and gun attacks which would appear to be the work of the Irish Republican Army
. According to Billy Hutchinson
Spence also played a vital role in helping him develop a Young Citizen Volunteers
recruitment strategy.
Gusty was imprisoned after being convicted of murder, but escaped in 1972. Billy was one of 59 men on the Shankill arrested soon after this, and police initially claimed that they had recaptured Gusty. However, they subsequently announced that this was a case of mistaken identity, and that they had mistaken Billy for his brother.
on several matters of interest to the group in the late 1970s. In particular Spence and his son Eddie kept up a letter writing campaign aimed at getting Gusty Spence released from prison following his conversion to political methods. Amongst those to raise the issue having received correspondence were Ian Paisley, Jim Kilfedder, Peter Robinson
, Harold McCusker
, Oliver Napier
and Mairead Corrigan
.
Billy Spence died in March 1980, seven months before the death of his younger brother Bobby, also a UVF member.
Ulster loyalism
Ulster loyalism is an ideology that is opposed to a united Ireland. It can mean either support for upholding Northern Ireland's status as a constituent part of the United Kingdom , support for Northern Ireland independence, or support for loyalist paramilitaries...
activist in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. A native of the Shankill Road area of Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
Spence was a leading figure with both Ulster Protestant Action
Ulster Protestant Action
Ulster Protestant Action was an loyalist and Protestant fundamentalist vigilante group in Northern Ireland.The group was founded at a special meeting at the Ulster Unionist Party's offices in Glengall Street, Belfast, in 1956. Among the attendees were many loyalists who were to become major...
and the Ulster Volunteer Force.
Early life
Born in Belfast, Spence was the older brother of GustyGusty Spence
Augustus Andrew "Gusty" Spence was a leader of the Ulster Volunteer Force and a leading loyalist politician. One of the first UVF members to be convicted of murder, Spence was a senior figure in the organisation for over a decade but later renounced violence and joined the Progressive Unionist...
, later to become an even more prominent loyalist. He was the son of William Edward Spence, who was born in Whitehaven
Whitehaven
Whitehaven is a small town and port on the coast of Cumbria, England, which lies equidistant between the county's two largest settlements, Carlisle and Barrow-in-Furness, and is served by the Cumbrian Coast Line and the A595 road...
but raised in Belfast, and Isabella Hayes. In 1945, Billy Spence was critical of his younger brother's invitation to Paddy Devlin
Paddy Devlin
Paddy Devlin was a Northern Irish social democrat and Labour activist, a former Stormont MP, a founder of the Social Democratic and Labour Party and a member of the 1974 Power Sharing Executive.-Early life:...
to play for the Old Lodge football team.
In keeping with the military tradition of the family Spence served with the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
as a young man.He then worked in the Belfast Corporation's transport department as a timekeeper. In this role he served as a member of the Transport and General Workers' Union
Transport and General Workers' Union
The Transport and General Workers' Union, also known as the TGWU and the T&G, was one of the largest general trade unions in the United Kingdom and Ireland - where it was known as the Amalgamated Transport and General Workers' Union - with 900,000 members...
. He flirted with socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
and was sometimes critical of the failure of the Ulster Unionist Party
Ulster Unionist Party
The Ulster Unionist Party – sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or, in a historic sense, simply the Unionist Party – is the more moderate of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland...
to choose working-class candidates for deprived areas.
Ulster Protestant Action
In 1956, Spence was a founding member of the Ulster Protestant ActionUlster Protestant Action
Ulster Protestant Action was an loyalist and Protestant fundamentalist vigilante group in Northern Ireland.The group was founded at a special meeting at the Ulster Unionist Party's offices in Glengall Street, Belfast, in 1956. Among the attendees were many loyalists who were to become major...
(UPA) executive, and was appointed as its chairman. Billy introduced Ian Paisley
Ian Paisley
Ian Richard Kyle Paisley, Baron Bannside, PC is a politician and church minister in Northern Ireland. As the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party , he and Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness were elected First Minister and deputy First Minister respectively on 8 May 2007.In addition to co-founding...
to his younger brother, In 1962, along with John McQuade
John McQuade
John McQuade , known as Johnny McQuade, was a Northern Ireland politician. He was a professional boxer under the name of Jack Higgins....
, he joined the Ulster Unionist Party
Ulster Unionist Party
The Ulster Unionist Party – sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or, in a historic sense, simply the Unionist Party – is the more moderate of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland...
's Court ward branch, as part of an entrist campaign by UPA members, and was soon appointed as Jim Kilfedder's election agent
Election agent
In elections in the United Kingdom, as well as in certain other similar political systems such as India's, an election agent is the person legally responsible for the conduct of a candidate's political campaign and to whom election material is sent to by those running the election. In elections in...
. During the 1966 UK general election, Paisley spread rumours that Kilfedder had links with Fine Gael
Fine Gael
Fine Gael is a centre-right to centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the single largest party in Ireland in the Oireachtas, in local government, and in terms of Members of the European Parliament. The party has a membership of over 35,000...
, and Spence blamed this for the loss of the Belfast West
Belfast West (UK Parliament constituency)
Belfast West is a parliamentary constituency in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom.-Boundaries:The seat was restored in 1922 when as part of the establishment of the devolved Stormont Parliament for Northern Ireland, the number of MPs in the Westminster Parliament was drastically cut...
seat to the Republican Labour Party
Republican Labour Party
The Republican Labour Party was a political party in Northern Ireland. It was founded in 1964, with two MPs at Stormont, Harry Diamond and Gerry Fitt...
's Gerry Fitt
Gerry Fitt
Gerard Fitt, Baron Fitt was a politician in Northern Ireland. He was a founder and the first leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party , a social democratic and Irish nationalist party.-Early years:...
. Spence also served as secretary of the West Belfast Imperial Unionist Association.
Ulster Volunteer Force
By 1966, the UPA was defunct, and Spence gathered a group of militant loyalists, including his brother, many of whom were former UPA members. They formed the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), led by Gusty Spence, although the Royal Ulster ConstabularyRoyal Ulster Constabulary
The Royal Ulster Constabulary was the name of the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2000. Following the awarding of the George Cross in 2000, it was subsequently known as the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC. It was founded on 1 June 1922 out of the Royal Irish Constabulary...
believed that Billy was the chief organiser. They believed that he formulated a "false flag
False flag
False flag operations are covert operations designed to deceive the public in such a way that the operations appear as though they are being carried out by other entities. The name is derived from the military concept of flying false colors; that is flying the flag of a country other than one's own...
" strategy for the group, arranging bombings and gun attacks which would appear to be the work of the Irish Republican Army
Irish Republican Army
The Irish Republican Army was an Irish republican revolutionary military organisation. It was descended from the Irish Volunteers, an organisation established on 25 November 1913 that staged the Easter Rising in April 1916...
. According to Billy Hutchinson
Billy Hutchinson
Billy Hutchinson is the leader of the Progressive Unionist Party in Northern Ireland. He was elected to Belfast City Council in 1997 and to the Northern Ireland Assembly in 1998. He lost his assembly seat in 2003 and his council seat in 2005...
Spence also played a vital role in helping him develop a Young Citizen Volunteers
Young Citizen Volunteers
The Young Citizen Volunteers of Northern Ireland had its first meeting just prior to the signing of the Solemn League and Covenant , opposing Home Rule, in Belfast City Hall on September 10, 1912...
recruitment strategy.
Gusty was imprisoned after being convicted of murder, but escaped in 1972. Billy was one of 59 men on the Shankill arrested soon after this, and police initially claimed that they had recaptured Gusty. However, they subsequently announced that this was a case of mistaken identity, and that they had mistaken Billy for his brother.
Later years
Although Billy subsequently took a low-profile role in the UVF, he remained involved for several more years. He contacted Ulster Unionist leader Jim Molyneaux and also Enoch PowellEnoch Powell
John Enoch Powell, MBE was a British politician, classical scholar, poet, writer, and soldier. He served as a Conservative Party MP and Minister of Health . He attained most prominence in 1968, when he made the controversial Rivers of Blood speech in opposition to mass immigration from...
on several matters of interest to the group in the late 1970s. In particular Spence and his son Eddie kept up a letter writing campaign aimed at getting Gusty Spence released from prison following his conversion to political methods. Amongst those to raise the issue having received correspondence were Ian Paisley, Jim Kilfedder, Peter Robinson
Peter Robinson
Peter Robinson may refer to:* Peter Robinson , member of the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada who oversaw emigration schemes* Peter Robinson , professor at the University of Cambridge...
, Harold McCusker
Harold McCusker
James Harold McCusker was a Northern Ireland Ulster Unionist Party politician who served as his party's deputy leader....
, Oliver Napier
Oliver Napier
Sir Oliver Napier was the first leader of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland. In 1974 he served as the first and only Legal Minister and head of the Office of Legal Reform in the Northern Ireland power-sharing executive set up by the Sunningdale Agreement.-Early life:Napier was educated at St...
and Mairead Corrigan
Mairead Corrigan
Mairead Maguire , also known as Mairead Corrigan Maguire and formerly as Mairéad Corrigan, is a Northern Irish peace activist. She co-founded, with Betty Williams and Ciaran McKeown, the Community of Peace People, an organisation dedicated to encouraging a peaceful resolution of the Troubles in...
.
Billy Spence died in March 1980, seven months before the death of his younger brother Bobby, also a UVF member.