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Harry Luke – Sierra Leone II (1924 – 1928) (15 items)

Harry Lukach / [later Sir Harry Luke] - Collection of ninetythree (93) Manuscript Letters Signed (MLS) written from his first posting in Sierra Leone

1. [Sierra Leone Content] – Luke, Harry.

Manuscript Letter Signed (MLS) / Autographed Letter Signed (ALS) from Harry Luke to his Father & Mother during his posting as Colonial Secretary of Sierra Leone with interesting content about two of his books [″Anatolica” and “Mosul”]. Written on Stationery of the “Governor of Sierra Leone”, Luke writes home in May 1926, during a heatwave “the worst reknown in Freetown in living memory”. Luke talks about “an unbroken series of visitors, including the O-G party, a Portuguese Naval Squadron, a British Educational Musician, an American ditto, an International Medical Study Tour of Doctors promoted by the League of Nations, comprising 16 Medical Officers of 12 nationalities & finally Empire Day, when I had to harangue 2000 Schoolchildren….”. Luke continues about the situation of his family-travels and his wife Joyce making plans for a holiday in Kent but then interestingly talks about his publication “Anatolica”: “….so, the price of “Anatolica” has not yet been reduced ; & it is not in the interest of the reputation of a bookto suffer that fate. I do not therefore want to suggest it to mau., tho’ they may themselves decide to do it some time. There must be several hundred copies in stock. “Mosul” sales so far about 600 copies”. Luke closes with “I enclose a group [photo] taken when Ormsby-Gore was here….With much love From your son Harry”.

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. [Sierra Leone], 25th of May, 1926. Quarto. 4 pages on two leaves. From the personal collection Sir Harry Luke.

EUR 275.000,-- 

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Collection of twentyone (21) letters to Sir Harry Luke during his posting as colonial secretary in Freetown / Sierra Leone

3. [Sierra Leone Content] – [Luke, Harry / Lukach, Harry].

Collection of twentyone (21) letters to Sir Harry Luke during his posting as colonial secretary in Freetown / Sierra Leone (1924 – 1928). Twelve (12) of the letters are from J.H.Luke (Sir Harry’s father) and he discusses with him, as usual very opinionated, not only family matters but also politics, matters relating to the colonial administration. Interestingly J.H.Luke also follows and influences the career of his son Harry by alerting him in a letter from April, 2nd, 1928 of the fact ‘that the Chief Secretaryship of Palestine has become vacant by the appointment of Colonel Symes as Resident at Aden….’ / In another letter from April 13th, 1928, J.H.Luke writes to his son Harry: ‘I am glad you took time to consider the Transjordan post – until you heard of the vacancy in Palestine; / He also informs him that he heard that ‘Guggisberg [that was Sir Frederick Gordon Guggisberg] was offered the Governorship of British Guiana (before the change in the Constitution) which he declined’. / In another letter he informs his son that ‘The rumours about Guggisberg going to Newfoundland have been contradicted in the Times’ / J.H. Luke also thanks his son for the interesting lecture on Slavery in Sierra Leone. / The other letters contain more poltical talk, society talk (often a mixture of both when for example J.H.Luke talks about the marriage of the former Miss Janet Phillips to a member of the British diplomatic corps, Leander McCormick-Goodhart). Four of the letters are from Luke’s mother one from a friend called Amelie and one from his sister Lily.

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. London / Sierra Leone, 1928. Octavo. From the private collection / library of colonial governor, diplomat and historian, Sir Harry Luke.

EUR 275.000,-- 

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Luke, A Bibliography of Sierra Leone: Preceded By An Essay On The Origin, Character and Peoples of the Colony and Protectorate.

8. [Sierra Leone Content] – Luke, Harry Charles / [Professor Edward Blyden III].

Collection of two publications and several letters: A Bibliography of Sierra Leone: Preceded By An Essay On The Origin, Character and Peoples of the Colony and Protectorate. [This publication comes with Luke’s personal copy of Sierra Leone Studies No.IX. – August 1927, in which Luke did not only write the Editorial Introduction but we also see included in this issue as an introduction to the section on “Street and Place Names in and around Freetown” (by Dr.R.H.Kennan), a reprinted letter of R.H.Kennan to Luke (page 9 of this issue). Luke notes on the cover of this issue the main reason why this pamphlet is in his private library: “including an account of our Mount Bintumane ascent” [Luke was part of the Mount Bintumane Expedition: “On the 18th August, 1926, Bintumane, the highest peak of the Lomas, the loftiest mountains in Sierra Leone, was climbed for the first time by an officer administering the Government of the Colony….on a fine misty morning we left our rest camp, situated beside a beautiful white-water face, itself more than 2,500 feet above sea level and, headed by the Acting Governor (Mr.Luke), commenced the Ascent [Sir Ransford Slater, Governor of Sierra Leone, made the ascent only the following year (1927)]. This wonderful collection of two publications also includes several loosely inserted Typescripts and Manuscript-letters between Sir Harry Luke and Professor Edward Blyden III as well as letters from Dr.P.E.H.Hair from Fourah Bay College, Freetwown, Sierra Leone / Also included a manuscript note from Luke, titled “Description of Photographs from Sierra Leone” in which Luke outlines in detail nine (9) illustrations [possibly for a later edition of the work] and mentions: “A Paramount Chief in Gala costume with wives, children and staff-bearer. The wives holding rattles used in the Dances of the Bundu (Women’s secret Society), Mende Tribe, Railway District, Sierra Leone / A Porro Devil on stilts (a Dancer of the Porro or Men’s secret society) etc. etc.]. With Illustrations And Map.

Second, Enlarged Edition. [This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. London, Oxford University Press, 1925. 19 cm x 13 cm. 230 pages, 4 illustrations. Original Hardcover. Harry Luke’s (Lukach) personal copy.

EUR 275.000,-- 

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[Luke, Manuscript Letter from Sir Harry Luke to his sister Lily during his posting in Sierra Leone

10. [Sierra Leone Content] – [Luke, Sir Harry / Lukach, Harry / Edward, Prince of Wales / Edward VIII].

Important Manuscript Letter Signed (MLS) / Autographed Letter Signed from Sir Harry Luke to his Father, Mother & Sister Lily during his second posting in Sierra Leone, this time as Colonial Secretary of Sierra Leone. Sir Harry describes at length the visit of the Prince of Wales (later Edward VIII) to the Colony in 1925: “My dear Father & Mother & Lily, To-day being Easter Monday I am spending in bed in an endeavour to recover from the fatigues of a trying but successful week. The Prince’s visit …..may be said to have been an unqualified success; & I hope you will look out for photos of it in the daily & weekly press”. Luke describes how he was sitting next to the Prince at lunch and later he had a ‘chance of telling him two stories which seemed to amuse him’. In his four-page-letter, Sir Harry continues: ‘I also talked to him at the Garden Party [the photograph of Sir Harry Luke next to the Prince of Wales at the Garden Party is a famous image of the Prince’s visit to Sierra Leone and the original is part of the collection]”. “He is very pleasant, but frightfully nervous & fidgety & leads an impossible life. After the very streanous profanities…..he insisted on playing Squash, despite the great heat, before the Dinner party, then after the ball went motoring to the beach with some of the more attractive of the Ladies, then went to some of their houses & danced & drank cold beer until 5 in the morning. When he went to bed for 2 hours. Apparently he seldom sleeps for more than that. At Dinner, when he was sitting between 2 very dark & matriarchical women (one of the Lady S.) he looked across at me with a smile & a wink. After he left I went for a day’s cruise in ‘HMS Endeavour’, the Survey Ship now working here, for a bit of rest…[..]”.

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. [Freetown] Sierra Leone, 1925. Octavo. 4 page letter (on two sheets). From the private collection / library of colonial governor, diplomat and historian, Sir Harry Luke.

EUR 275.000,-- 

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