In 1923, after the establishment of the Irish Free State, Lumsden wrote to the President of the Council of the Irish Free State to start the process of breaking the Brigade away from the control of the Brigade in London, and from the British Red Cross Society. Moves after 1923 further led to the formation of the Irish Red Cross Society in 1939. Lumsden was one of the first members of the Irish Red Cross. Following the partition of Ireland, the divisions in Northern Ireland were reorganised in 1924 to form a separate administrative region, the Northern Ireland (Ulster) District, under Drs D.E. McCorkell and A.C.H. Todd.