111. [Palestine Content / Malta Content] – [Luke, Sir Harry / Lukach, Harry] Vilmos, William de.

Important Manuscript Letter Signed (MLS / Autographed Letter Signed (ALS) on the Palestine and Malta-Postings from Sir Harry Luke’s Great Uncle William de Vilmos. The letter, written in german, was addressed to Luke just after he was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Malta in the year 1931. Remarkably, the letter touches on William de Vilmos being happy that in this year 1931 his nephew Harry Luke, has now escaped Palestine “this impossible place, where the bloody disputes will be neverending…” / “…such life-endangering scenes you had to endure [in Palestine] will hardly occur during your posting in Malta” [free translation]”. The letter reads: ‘Budapest, 20. Jaenner 1931 – Mein geliebter Harry. Du hast mir mit Deinem lieben Brief vom 9. dieses eine grosse Stueck Freude bereitet & ich danke Dir dafuer herzlichst. Deine Neujahrswuensche erwidere ich aufs Herzlichste fuer Dich, wie fuer die liebe Joyce, Peter & Michael. Sehr freut es mich, dass der Aufenthalt in Malta, sowohl was Klima als Behausung, Garten etc. betrifft, jeden Einzelnen von Euch sehr conveniert & Euch viel Vergnuegen bereitet. In der schwierigen Weltlage in der wir jetzt leben, gibt es jetzt ueberall Schwierigkeiten die unausweichbar sind, aber jedenfalls bin ich froh und gluecklich, dass Du von Palaestina, diesem unmoeglichen Fleck Erde, wo die blutigen Zwistigkeiten kaum jemals aufhoeren werden, gluecklich und & lebendig weggekommen bist. Solche Szenen, wie Du durchzuleben gezwungen warst, in fortwaehrender Lebensgefahr Dich befindend, wirst Du in Malta nicht ausgesetzt sein. Ich wuensche Deiner Thaetigkeit den allerbesten Erfolg. Deine liebe Mutter habe ich waehrend den Weihnachtsfeiertagen, die ich in Wien verbrachte, mehrmals gesehen, war mit ihrem Aussehen & ihrem Gemuetsstand recht zufrieden. Mir geht es gottlob gesundheitlich sehr gut. Ich kann selbst ueber mein Alter nicht klagen, denn ich habe gottlob trotz meiner 92 Jahre ueber Altersbeschwerden keinerlei Klagen zu erheben. Leb wohl mein lieber guter Harry, ich gruesse & kuesse Dich & die theuere Joyce in aller Liebe – Dein Onkel Vilmos”.

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. Budapest, 20. Jaenner 1931. Octavo. 1 sheet with a three-page letter. From the private collection / library of colonial governor, diplomat and historian, Sir Harry Luke.

112. [Family History Sir Harry Luke / Zander] – [Luke, Sir Harry / Lukach, Harry] Motherby, Helene / The Society of Genealogists / Aristocratic Research of Family de Zander / Family History Zandrowitsch – Zander/.

Collection of manuscript and printed materials regarding a genealogical research for the aristocratic Family ‘Zandrowitsch – Zander’. Sir Harry Luke who was related to the Zander family was assisted by a lady from Koenigsberg in Prussia. The lady in question,Genealogist Helene Motherby from Koenigsberg, writes in a letter from April 6th, 1910 to Luke’s posting in Sierra Leone and has some excellent news regarding her research of the Zander family. The letter includes a manuscript family tree of the Zander family (Carl Lazarus von Zander etc.) / In a second letter from 23rd of October1911, Helene Motherby requested information from a Heraldic Office in St.Petersburg. The original answer was written in Russian and a translation into german is accompanying the original document in which Helene Motherby was informed that information regarding an aristocratic family can only be granted if the requestor can proof his/her aristocratic ancestry connected to the family in question. The request was in detail answered by pointing to the relevant Genealogical Offices in Livland / Estland / Gouvernement Kiew. / Helene Motherby apologizes for the ‘meager’ result and urges Sir Harry Luke to become a member of ‘The Society of Genealogists’ in London. She encloses the first quarterly report of ‘The Society of Genealogists of London’ which also lists the members (among them Fraulein Helene Motherby) and also includes two prefilled application forms for Sir Harry that would allow him to join the Society (Helene Motherby has signed both papers as a guarantor). /

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. Koenigsberg, 1910 / 1911. Octavo. 4 manuscript documents (incl. Manuscript postcard from Motherby to Luke and a manuscript family tree of the Zander family) / 2 signed applications for the ‘Society of Genealogists London’ / Ephemera Statutes of the Society of Genealogists of London / Original envelope. From the private collection / library of colonial governor, diplomat and historian, Sir Harry Luke.

113. [Malta Content] – [Luke, Sir Harry / Lukach, Harry] Deedes, Brigadier General Sir Wyndham Henry.

Manuscript Letter Signed (MLS) from Wyndham Deedes to Sir Harry Luke. Deedes congratulates Luke on his new appointment [Luke had just become Lieutenant Governor of Malta (he remained at that post from 1930-1938) ].

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. London / University House, 1930. Octavo. 1 Letter with original envelope. From the private collection / library of colonial governor, diplomat and historian, Sir Harry Luke.

114. [Palestine Content] – [Luke, Sir Harry / Lukach, Harry].

Manuscript Letter Signed (MLS) from Trinity College, Oxford to congratulate Luke on his new appointment [acting High Commissioner to the Government of Palestine].

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. Trinity College, Oxford, June 1928. Duodecimo. 1 page with original envelope. From the private collection / library of colonial governor, diplomat and historian, Sir Harry Luke.

115. [Palestine Content / Malta Content / Ecclesiastical] – [Luke, Sir Harry / Lukach, Harry] Valeri, Valerio [Cardinal / Bishop / Apostolic Delegate to Egypt].

Manuscript Letter Signed (MLS) by Valerio Valeri to Sir Harry Luke upon his departure as deputy High Commissioner of the British Mandate of Palestine to Lieutenant Colonel Sir John Robert Chancellor. [Luke attempted to mediate an agreement between Jewish and Arab leaders, without success’]. The letter by Bishop Valeri reads: ‘Dear Mr.Luke, this is a very confidential letter to express you both my sincere regrets at your departure from Jerusalem and my felicitations for your appointment as Governor of Malta under the present circumstances. Your high qualities are, no doubt, well known at the Colonial and the Foreign Office, a thing at which all the friends and acquaintances you left in Palestine have rejoiced. Wishing you every success in carrying out your work and with my kindest regards I am Sincerely Yours + Valerio Valeri’.

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. Cairo, Delegatio Apostolica Aegypti, July 22nd 1930. Octavo. 1 letter with original envelope. From the private collection / library of colonial governor, diplomat and historian, Sir Harry Luke.

116. [Private Materials Sir Harry Luke] – [Luke, Sir Harry / Lukach, Harry] Storrs, Sir Ronald Henry Amherst.

Manuscript Letter Signed (MLS) from Sir Ronald Henry Amherst Storrs during his tenure as Governor of Cyprus to Sir Harry Luke condoling on the death of Luke’s father: ‘Only a word of v. true condolence on your heavy bereavement. Your father was always most kind [?] + helpful to me & I do realize from personal experience how sharp a blow & shock you are under. R S.’ The letter itself does not reference Cyprus but was clearly written during Storrs’ time as Governor of Cyprus.

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. London, 2nd of July 1930. Folio. 1 page with official envelope. From the private collection / library of colonial governor, diplomat and historian, Sir Harry Luke.

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

Manuscript Letter Signed (MLS) marked “Destroy” from Sir Ronald Henry Amherst Storrs to Sir Harry Luke. The two – page letter was written by Storrs in June 1925, during his posting as Governor of Jerusalem and Judea and reached Sir Harry while he was still Colonial Secretary in Sierra Leone. Storrs asks Luke “If you can, extract from Co [possibly Colonial Office] who is responsible for the dirty work over my leave, & how the Thane of Roach behaved [that is Edward Keith-Roach, British Colonial administrator and later Governor of Jerusalem].

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. Jm [Jerusalem], 12 VI 25 [1925]. Octavo. 1 sheet (2 pages filled with red ink manuscript handwriting by Storrs, with original envelope). From the private collection / library of colonial governor, diplomat and historian, Sir Harry Luke.

118. [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.

119. [Cyprus Content] – [Luke, Sir Harry / Lukach, Harry] Storrs, Sir Ronald Henry Amherst.

Typed Letter Signed (TLS with manuscript additions) on Stationery of Government House, Cyprus, from Sir Ronald Henry Amherst Storrs to Sir Harry Luke. The two – page letter was written by Storrs in August 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, Yours of the 18th received with lively satisfaction and the enclosure from the Thegn [Code for “Thane”] shewn to the highly gratified Daisy, who says it is nothing of the documents that emanate daily from the new office within the wall in Jerusalem. …..I am duly exploring the possibilities …..and indeed comic rumour that I am bored with Ubr. On the contrary the charm and interest of the place grow upon me every day and I am encouraged to believe that the Ergs and foot-poundals expended by myself in a variety of directions are already beginning to generate a current of advantage for the Colony: [continued in manuscript handwriting by Storrs]: including the revision to date of yr. admirable handbook [that is ‘Handbook of Cyprus’] (any bequests thereto ?)….”.

[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.

120. [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.