[Education of Sir Harry Luke] – [Lukach, Harry Charles / Sir Harry Luke] / Ford, Lionel George Bridges Justice [Headmaster at Eton and Repton].

Fantastic Manuscript Letter on “Repton Hall – Stationery” by Lionel George Bridges Justice Ford to his former pupil, Harry Charles Lukach (later Sir Harry Luke) written just after Ford’s Italian Journey with Alington and shortly after he became Headmaster at Repton. The six-page letter is a wonderful example of the relationship of Teacher and Student and Ford writes here to Luke more like to an old friend: “My dear Lukach, I have been trying to make time to answer your nice letter, but the rush of things just at first is so great I think you will have to wai a bit unless I send you a dictated answer. Well ! I am not going to let you wait any longer. I am delighted to hear that Rev. Alington [that is Cyril Argentine Alington] tore up your copy of “M.a.P.” which was far and away the best method of dealing with that class of literary productions”. I wish I had realized that you were in Paris in the holidays, because I passed through the place on my way to and from Italy and I had some solitary hours there which I divided between Notre Dame & guess where ! Rev. Alington was with me in Italy and wore the most outrageous lay costume that I have ever been scandalised by. For all that we had a very nice time. I stood on top of Vesuvius and longed to jump into the hole to see what it was making that noise underneath. I saw Assisi the home of S.Francis & theought of your Sunday private business. I travelled along the North of L. Trasimene and wished for some of my old pupils to explain to me the details of the great battle that took place there. I saw Rome – where – as you are aware there are a good many objects of interest. And Florence ! Oh ! Florence !! The Masterpieces of Raphael & Michael Angelo and the tombs of Clough – Mrs. Browning & Landor would have made your artistic and literary mouth water. You will find Rev. Alington has a good deal of information which he is willing to impact as to Florence. He did not half appreciate the statues as compared with the pictures. Unhappy Man ! I have not told you any news about Eton [crossed out and replaced with ‘Repton’] that must wait till I come down next week. Your affectionate Tutor”.

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. Repton Hall / Burton on Trent, 1901. Octavo. Six pages on two sheets folded. From the private collection / library of colonial governor, diplomat and historian, Sir Harry Luke.

Lionel George Bridges Justice Ford (3 September 1865 – 27 March 1932) was an Anglican priest who served as Dean of York after two headmasterships at notable English independent schools.

Ford was born in Paddington, London, the son of William Augustus Ford and Katherine Mary Justice. His father had played cricket for the Marylebone Cricket Club (″MCC”) and his brother Francis Ford played cricket for England. Ford’s grandfather was George Samuel Ford, a well known bill discounter. Ford was educated at Repton School and King’s College, Cambridge, where he won the Chancellor’s Classical Medal and was a member of the Pitt Club. He became a school master at Eton, and was ordained a curate in the Anglican church in 1893. In 1898 and 1899 he played cricket for minor county Buckinghamshire.

Ford became headmaster of Repton School in 1901 and in 1910 moved to Harrow, where he was headmaster until 1925. In 1925 he became the dean at York, a post he was to hold until his death on Easter Sunday seven years later. His memorial is in the restored Zouche Chapel.

Ford married in 1904 Mary Catherine Talbot, daughter of the education campaigner Lavinia Talbot and Edward Stuart Talbot, who was successively Bishop of Rochester, Southwark and Winchester. They had a daughter and six sons including:

Neville Ford (1906–2000), a notable cricketer for Derbyshire, who married Patricia Smiles, daughter of Ulster Unionist MP W. D. Smiles and Margaret Heighway, and great-niece of Mrs Beeton, in 1941.

Edward Ford (1910–2006), a courtier in the Royal Household of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II, who married the widow Virginia Brand Polk, daughter of Robert Brand, 1st Baron Brand, in 1949.

Lionel Ford is the great grandfather of TV personality and chief Scout Bear Grylls (Wikipedia)

• Keywords: Alington, Cyril Argentine [Eton Headmaster] · British Colonial Administration · British Colonial History · British Foreign Office · British Foreign Policy · Education / Luke · Education of Sir Harry Luke · Eton · Eton – Sir Harry Luke · Ford, Lionel George Bridges Justice [Headmaster Eton – Repton – Harrow] · Harry Luke – Education Chapter · Private – Harry Luke · Sir Harry Luke · Sir Harry Luke – Personal Archive of Books and Correspondence · Sir Harry Luke Collection
• Language: English
• Inventory Number: 31733AB

EUR 275.000,--