101. [Private Materials Sir Harry Luke] – [Luke, Sir Harry / Lukach, Harry] Luke, Peter.

Two emotional letters from writer Peter Luke to his father, Sir Harry Luke. One of the letters from ‘The Shelbourne’ in Dublin (10th of April 1949) to Sir Harry while he is possibly travelling in Brazil, in which Peter Luke makes fun of his father giving him the middle names ‘Ambrose Cyprian’ and also mentioning that ‘By the way, just in case you meet any business people in Brazil, C& Co. are interested in exporting Port, Sherry + Irish Whisky to that country – Bon voyage – your affectionate son Peter’ / One of the letters from Peter Luke’s address in London discusses the wish to relocate to the Oxford area and contemplating if the location is right for his commute to work and Sir Harry obviously wants to help. Peter Luke informs him that he thinks 5000 pounds would do the trick but he was not sure ‘what your limit is’.

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. Dublin / London, 1949. Octavo. From the private collection / library of colonial governor, diplomat and historian, Sir Harry Luke.

102. [Private Materials Sir Harry Luke] – [Luke, Sir Harry / Lukach, Harry] [Joyce Evelyn Fremlin (Luke)].

Two letters from Sir Harry Luke to his wife Joyce Fremlin (1 ALS / 1 TL)/ One letter from Joyce Fremlin in return (1 ALS). One of the letters discussing the hardship of a reduced pension and the subsequent repercussions around him and for his wife and family / One letter in which he celebrates with his wife the arrival of a grandson [probably the son of writer Peter Luke, Harry Luke (brother of Georgiana)].

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. Barbados, 1946 / 1947. Octavo. 3 Letters. From the private collection / library of colonial governor, diplomat and historian, Sir Harry Luke.

103. [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.

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

Typed / and partly Manuscript Letter by Sir Harry Luke’s former Tutor, Lionel Ford: “My dear Lukach, thank you indeed for writing so kindly abpout my appointment to Harrow. I hope you will forgive my answer takes a typewritten form. It seems almost the only way in which I could hope to acknowledge in reasonable time the letters of congratulations and good wishes that have poured in upon me….It is a great honour to have been asked to do this big work; I feel that very much, and I like to think it is in Repton’s honour rather than mine. But it will be a dreadful wrench to leave the old school…..[Ford continues to add in ink: “I don’t like your account of climate-yellow fever – But I feel v. proud of you and your work out there. Dominus return ! ….Yours very sincerely Ex-Tutor, always Lionel Ford”].

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. The Hall, Repton, Burton on Trent, Headmaster Repton – Repton – Egginton, 1910. Octavo. One sheet / One page. From the private collection / library of colonial governor, diplomat and historian, Sir Harry Luke.

105. [Education of Sir Harry Luke] – [Lukach, Harry Charles / Sir Harry Luke] / Alington, Cyril Argentine.

Typed / Partly Manuscript Letter Signed (MLS) / from Eton Headmaster Cyril Argentine Alington to Harry Lukach, after Alington had become Headmaster at Shrewsbury School: “My dear Harry, I think you will rather admire me for having a typewriter….i thank you for your charming letter and the Photograph which is most impressive. I was very glad to hear from you again and to know that your affairs are so flourishing…..We have just been to France for a week and have fallen badly in love with two or three churches, notably St.Ouen and Beauvais. I am very sorry to hear of the decadence of the Hotel Rome, but if it has deserted its charming Catholic name I quite see that success was impossible for it. You will, I know, b sorry to hear that I lost my mother at the beginning of this month……I am liking Life at Shrewsbury….which is a delightful place in itself….you don’t say how long your present job will last, but I hope it will allow you coming home before very long. My wife sends her best wishes & so would my daughters if they knew you – Ever yours affect. Cyril Alington”.

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. Ross on Wye, The Chantry,, 1910. Quarto. One sheet, two page-letter signed. From the private collection / library of colonial governor, diplomat and historian, Sir Harry Luke.

106. [Malta Content] – [Luke, Harry Charles] Under Secretary of State, Colonial Office / Downing Street.

Typed Letter Signed (TLS) addressed to Harry Luke and signed OGR Williams on “Downing Street Stationery” / “The Under Secretary of State, Colonial Office”: “Sir, I am directed by Lord Passfield to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 15th of July and to inform you that the Crown Agents for the Colonies are being authorised to pay to you subsistence allowance at the rate of 25/– a night in respect of your attendance at the Colonial Office Conference for the period 23rd of June to the 15th of July (inclusive). I am, Sir, your obedient servant, OGRWilliams [?]”.

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. [London] Downing Street, 23rd of July, 1930. A4. One page with envelope “On His Majesty’s Service”. From the personal collection of Sir Harry Luke. Important letter stating Luke’s attendance at the Colonial Conference in 1930, shortly before he started the Governorship on Malta.

107. [Sierra Leone Content] – [Luke, Sir Harry / Lukach, Harry] Storrs, Sir Ronald Henry Amherst [ KCMG CBE ].

Typed Letter signed (TLS) from Sir Ronald Storrs to Sir Harry Luke. The letter was written during Storrs’ time as Governor in Jerusalem and is on British Colonial Office stationery: ‘My dear Harry – Thank you for yours of exactly one month ago. But no protestations will avail to wipe out from my family the imperishable memory of your behaviour at the wedding feast. I forward you King Pausolus and for earnest favour of return the intermittant Satyr from which I derived great benefit. Pirie-Gordon stayed with us three or four days of the pilgrimage and told me (greatly to my pleasure) that you had before leaving London something like definite personal encouragement for Ubr. Alas I fear Billy G’s visit will be too late to help; but if the worst has not happened by then your subcutaneous and intra-muscular propulsion will be infinitely esteemed by yours, with homage to the Princess Patricia, threys R S”.

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. Jerusalem, The Governorate, March 17th, 1926. Octavo. One page with original envelope. From the private collection / library of colonial governor, diplomat and historian, Sir Harry Luke.

108. [Ecclesiastical Content] – [Luke, Sir Harry / Lukach, Harry] / Archbishop of Canterbury, Randall T. Davidson / Davidson, Randall Thomas (1st Baron Davidson of Lambeth, GCVO, PC).

Typed Letter Signed (TLS) from the Archbishop of Canterbury, Randall T. Davidson, to Harry Luke, then Assistant Governor of Jerusalem: ‘Dear Mr.Luke, I thank you very cordially for your ‘Handbook of Palestine’. I am sure that such a book has for some time been wanted – a book a little different from the mere guide-book. You have now met the need, so far as I can judge, most effectively. I am yours very truly Randall T. Canterbury.’

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. Canterbury, Lambeth Palace, 20th of October, 1922. Octavo. One page with original envelope. From the private collection / library of colonial governor, diplomat and historian, Sir Harry Luke.

109. [Palestine Content / Ecclesiastical] – [Luke, Sir Harry / Lukach, Harry] Storrs, Sir Ronald Henry Amherst.

Typed Letter Signed (TLS) and partly Autographed Letter on Stationery of The Governorate, Jerusalem, from Sir Ronald Henry Amherst Storrs to Sir Harry Luke. The two-page letter was written by Storrs in August 1925, during his posting as Governor of Jerusalem and reached Sir Harry while he was holidaying in Alt-Aussee (Austria). During this period, Luke was Colonial Secretary in Sierra Leone. Storrs writes: “My dear Harry – If this gets you in time please introduce yourselves to the Duchess of Rutland, a very dear friend of mine, and deeply interested in Jerusalem. “On behalf of the Council of the Pro-Jerusalem Society I have much pleasure in giving you permission to use the article and map produced by you for the second volume of the Annales on the Holy Sepulchre……[Storrs continues]: “The Plumers arrived the day before yesterday…. [that is Field Marshal Lord Plumer who was High Commissioner of the British Mandate for Palestine in 1925]…… and were well received by both sides……” [In Mandatory Palestine Plumer gained a reputation as being “genuinely even handed” and was one of the few British administrators who was consistently popular with both the Jewish community and the Arab community in that territory. Privately, he was sympathetic to the cause of establishing a homeland for the Jewish people; however, he tried his best to “be fair” to Arab concerns as well while he was High Commissioner there (source: Wikipedia)]. Storrs continues: “The Hendersons also to hand. The Worlds worker, now about to become a Mamur Hajz or Seizure Officer, rejects your cowric shells…..with all the contempt of a Mutamaddin for the Mutawahhishin…..I do hope you will secure in arriving Leone”

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. Jerusalem, 27th August, 1925. Quarto. 1 sheet (2 pages partialyy typed, partially in manuscript hand by Storrs). From the private collection / library of colonial governor, diplomat and historian, Sir Harry Luke.

110. [Sierra Leone Content] – [Luke, Sir Harry / Lukach, Harry] Storrs, Sir Ronald Henry Amherst.

Typed Letter Signed (TLS) on Stationery of Government House, Cyprus, from Sir Ronald Henry Amherst Storrs to Sir Harry Luke. The one – page letter was written by Storrs in July 1927, during his posting as Governor of Cyprus and reached Sir Harry while he was still Colonial Secretary in Sierra Leone. Storrs writes: “My dear Harry – I can hardly bear to read the first and second pages of your letter….and even now feel a sort of suspense created by its maddeningly tantalizing information. I am consoled on the whole by your refusal of the G.C. from which, in spite of the extra cash, there was no possible increment to your now made reputation and which would, as you feared, have infallibly tended to prolong your exile in W.A. [West Africa]..[…]…Archer [that is Sir Geoffrey Francis Archer] has now put in (more surprisingly to me than actual resignation) for a transfer to the West Indies.”

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. Cyprus, July 6th, 1927. Octavo. 1 sheet (1 page). From the private collection / library of colonial governor, diplomat and historian, Sir Harry Luke.