[Cyprus Content] – [Luke, Sir Harry] / Pursuit of Cyprus Posting by Harry Luke / Earl Curzon of Kedleston / Foreign Office / Admiral Sir John de Robeck /.

Significant, eight-page (8) Manuscript Letter Signed (MLS) from J.H.Luke to his son, Harry Luke, while Harry was posted with Admiral Sir John de Robeck in the Mediterranean. The letter also includes two important copies of typescripts, sent to Harry Luke’s father, J.H.Luke (at the St.James’ Club, Piccadilly) from the Foreign Office (directed by Earl Curzon of Kedleston). In urgent Telegrams, Luke had asked his father to help him “to ascertain from Colonial Office if my application for Chief Secretaryship, Cyprus, is likely to be successful and telegraph reply care of High Commissioner, Constantinople, as have meanwhile received offer of Assistant Governorship, Jerusalem, to which I must reply. Would prefer Cyprus”. In a second Telegram that day (28th of July, 1920), Luke writes again to hs father: “Please ask McMahon approach Amery as to succession Stevenson”. The lengthy letter of Luke senior is of great importance because it shows the ever recurring actions of Luke’s father regarding the career-progression of Sir Harry. From other correspondence we know that Luke senior takes a huge interest in his son being promoted to a significant position. From the letter we learn about Harry Luke’s chances to get the Cyprus-Position he so very much desires and about his excellent reputation at the Colonial Office. His father also writes to Harry: “How very kind of the Admiral [de Robeck] to send you to Cyprus in a Destroyer & dispatching that nice cable to Storrs” / An additional two typescrits are dealing with Luke’s publication “Handbook of Cyprus”: Daniel MacMillan had written to the father of Luke and asked for permission to “take down the type”, “Our present stock is 370 copies”.

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. London, 28th of July, 1920 – 4th of August, 2024. Octavo-Bifold. 8 pages of manuscript letter, 4 pages of typescripts. From Sir Harry Luke’s personal library.

The letter mentions a large number of officials who are at this early stage of Luke’s career already involved in his advancement:

1. Earl Curzon of Kedleston [George Nathaniel Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston or Lord Curzon of Kedleston]
2. Max Muller [possibly Sir William Grenfell Max Muller GBE KCMG CB MVO (9 June 1867 – 10 May 1945)]
3. Sir Herbert Samuel [Herbert Louis Samuel, 1st Viscount Samuel, GCB, OM, GBE, PC (6 November 1870 – 5 February 1963)]
4. Col. Amery [Leopold Charles Maurice, Stennett Amery CH (22 November 1873 – 16 September 1955), also known as L. S. Amery]
5. McMahon [Sir Arthur Henry McMahon (1862-1949)]
6. J.E.W.Flood
7. Stevenson [Sir Malcolm Stevenson KCMG (15 March 1878 – 27 November 1927) – Chief Secretary of Cyprus]
8. Judge Fisher [Sir Stanley Fisher (12 February 1867 – 28 May 1949) British colonial judge]
9. Colonel Stokes [Claude Bayfield Stokes (27 October 1875 – 7 December 1948) British High Commissioner in Transcaucasia]
10. Admiral [Robeck] [Admiral of the Fleet Sir John Michael de Robeck (10 June 1862 – 20 January 1928)]
11. Storrs [Sir Ronald Henry Amherst Storrs KCMG CBE (19 November 1881 – 1 November 1955)]
12. Wardrop [Sir John Oliver Wardrop KBE CMG (10 October 1864 – 19 October 1948)]

• Keywords: Autograph – British History · Autograph – History Rare · Autograph – Rare · British Colonial Administration · British Colonial History · British Foreign Office · British Foreign Policy · Cyprus · Cyprus Content (Autographed Letter Signed – ALS) · Cyprus Content / Sir Harry Luke Collection · de Robeck, Admiral of the Fleet Sir John Michael · Harry Luke – Cyprus / WW I (1911-1919) · Macmillan, Daniel (Publisher of Sir Harry Luke) · Manuscript · Manuscript / Autograph – Rare · Sir Harry Luke · Sir Harry Luke – Personal Archive of Books and Correspondence · Sir Harry Luke Collection
• Language: English
• Inventory Number: 31798AB

EUR 275.000,--