161. [Malta Content] – [Luke, Sir Harry] / Pirie-Gordon, Christopher.

Long (2-page) Manuscript Letter (MLS) / Autographed Letter, signed (ALS) by Christopher Pirie-Gordon, 14th Laird of Buthlaw, “formerly Assistant-Resident in Amman and seconded for service under the Foreign Office, following the winding-up of the Palestine Administration”, to Sir Harry Luke from Pirie-Gordon’s post in Taiz (Yemen). Pirie-Gordon writes: “‘My dear Harry Charles, thank you so very much for your recent letter. Iremain almost aghast at the extent of your “wanderlust”. Brazil and Penang combined with almost permanent residence in Malta and a flat in London seem quite a good way of keeping at bay in suggestion of the humdrum or routine in life”. Pirie-Gordon describes his recent activities, including a ‘visit to stay with our Ambassador in Addis Ababa’, where he found the Ethiopians ‘a friendly courteous people’. Regarding the situation in the Yemen Pirie-Gordon writes: “We have been through a rough summer here during the Crown Prince’s period of Regency with one unpleasant afternoon in Taiz when the army ran amok”. The fact that the country did not have ‘the long awaited revolution then, when the Imam [Ahmad bin Yahya] was out of the country’, has convinced Pirie-Gordon ‘that revolutionaries of the necessary calibre are just not to be found locally’. Of the Imam he writes: “If someone bumps the old man off (no easy undertaking) or if Allah decides that he can do without him no longer then all hell will be loose and the War of the Roses will probably be declared at once.” In the meantime the country will ‘probably slide into a nice quiet anarchy’. Regarding ‘His Majesty’s gracious message’, Luke’s ‘mental imagery’ of ‘the Dragon breathing fire’ is ‘not inapt’. Pirie-Gordon now turns to his own future, which ‘remains shrouded in mystery’. His aim is to secure a ‘particular post’, despite ‘the Ambassador in the country concerned’, who is ‘anxious to have it for an old boyfriend of his own’. The letter ends with Pirie-Gordon describing his ‘highly international social life’, which, he declares, ‘suits me well’.

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. Taiz [Yemen], 8 October, 1959. Quarto. Two pages. From Sir Harry Luke’s personal library. The letter comes with a publication, edited by Hector Bolitho: “The British Empire”, in which are contained two essays on the Colonial History of the Empire by Sir Harry Luke: I.The Mediterranean Colonies and Aden” / II. “The British Islands of the Pacific”.

162. [Malta Content] – [Luke, Sir Harry] / Major Algnernon Tudor-Craig.

Manuscript Letter / Autograph Letter signed on Stationery of the Lieutenant Governor of Malta, from Sir Harry Luke to Major Sir Algernon Tudor-Craig: “Dear Sir Algernon Tudor-Craig, oddly enough your letter of the 28th August, after following me about Austria & Yugoslavia, actually found me in Dubrovnik, from which I have just returned via Hercegovina & Bosnia. That will explain why i failed to show up when you called at Malta. I am sorry, as I should have liked to see you at Casa Leoni” – Luke continues by expressing his hope that both parties will be “more fortunate next time”….″Yours sincerely H C Luke”.

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. [St.James Club Piccadilly], 21-IX-1936. Small Quarto. 1 sheet with both sides in manuscript handwriting. From the library of Algernon Tudor-Craig. Very nice letter by Luke on his beautiful Maltese stationery to the british army officer and reknown heraldist Tudor-Craig.

163. [Sierra Leone Content] – Luke, Harry Charles.

Collection of ninetythree (93) [Multi-Page] Manuscript Letters Signed (MLS) / Autographed Letters Signed (ALS) – from Harry Luke sent home in the years 1908 – 1911 to his Father, Mother & Sister during his posting as Private Secretary to the Governor of Sierra Leone, Sir Leslie Probyn. With private but also lots of official news from the Colonies and including strong impressions by Harry Luke on his very first posting as an official for the Colonial Office. A fantastic collection of letters, re-introduced into Harry Luke’s private library after the death of his parents. Of great interest regarding the becoming of a colonial officer, Luke shares in these letters his adventures as much as his thoughts and worries about which career-path to take. These 93 letters give an extraordinarily detailed insight into the career of an Etonian and Trinity College Oxford Alumni, turning Colonial Officer, just prior of The Great War at the time of the ascent of contemporaries as eminent as Churchill & Bonar Law.

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. Freetown / “S.S.Nigeria”, November 1908 – January 1911. Octavo. From the personal collection of Sir Harry Luke.

164. [Family History of Sir Harry Luke] – [Luke, Sir Harry] / Matthias Likeij – Freemason at St.John’s Lodge / St.Johannisloge / Carl Sörensson //

Collection of Manuscript Masonic Letters and Masonic Papers of Sir Harry Luke’s Cousin, Swedish Philosopher Matthias Likeij, Member, “Sancti Johannis Meister” of the St.John’s Lodge in Christianstad. Including eight (8) Manuscript letters between swedish Freemason Carl Sörensson, Visby, dated between the years 1899 – 1902 and Broder [Matthias] Likeij.

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. [Visby / Christiansstad], 1899 – 1902. Octavo – Folio. Two original Masonic Diplomas for Matthias Likeij and eight (often multi-page) letters. From the personal library of Sir Harry Luke (Luke was a Mason as well and a cousin of Matthias Likeij), protected in a special envelope: “On His Majesty’s Service”.

165. [Malta Content] – [Luke, Sir Harry].

Collection of nineteen (19) Letters and five (5) Congratulatory Telegrams on the occasion of Sir Harry Luke being awarded the post of Lieutenant Governor of Malta (1930 – 1938). The often very detailed and personal letters are full of praise and support for Luke and not seldom are filled with regret for seeing him not return to Palestine. Other colleagues who served in Malta, are encouraging him and promise he will like it there. Letters included are important reflections on Luke’s character and show his impeccable reputation among peers and family.

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. London / Austria / New York etc., June 1930. Octavo. From the personal library of Sir Harry Luke.

166. [Cyprus Content] – [Luke, Sir Harry / Lukach, Harry / Storrs, Ronald / Queen Marie of Romania].

Manuscript Letter Signed (MLS) / Autographed Letter Signed (ALS) with original photograph included. The letter was sent from Sir Ronald Storrs while Storrs was Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Cyprus, and Storrs used the internal Diplomatic post to send the letter to Harry Luke in Freetown, Sierre Leone. Storrs discusses a recent “publication by the Thane [that was Edward Keith-Roach, British Colonial administrator during the British mandate on Palestine] in an American Magazine” [that is Keith-Roaches article “The Pageant of Jerusalem”, published in the December issue of the year 1927 in The National Geographic]. Storrs informs Luke “I am this week proposing myself as repr[esentative] of my Govt. to the Oxford Orientalist Congress, Aug 29 – Sept 3. (about which you have doubtless heard). & with to suggest you doing likewise….I think you will again enjoy ourselves [sic] amazingly well. Meanwhile keep yourself free for the Sat-Mn preciding & including the Aug Bank Holiday, when I hope to be staying with the admirable [?] at Magdalene. Where I trust he will make you our [?]. Do I detect a reproach for not having sought permission to use your Map for the stamp ?….learn that the fault is not mine, for Watts had designed one here…The Q of Romania + 5 threatens to descend upon us [″In April 1928 Queen Marie of Romania and her daughter Ileana visited Cyprus. Rupert Gunnis was given the task to show them around the island” (Source: Severis Foundation)], & wd, in any other building than this be as welcomed as honoured. Toward the end of Mar…[?] – With our joint omaggi to yr Lady – I am y RS – – [P.S.]: “Daisy just had a 2nd girl” [the letter was kept by Luke together with an earlier, charming photograph of Storrs twins, titled by Luke: “The little Storrs girls at Deal Beach July 1917”].

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. [Cyprus], 29th of January, 1928. Folio. 1 page with envelope and photograph. From the private collection / library of colonial governor, diplomat and historian, Sir Harry Luke.

167. [Education of Sir Harry Luke] – [Lukach, Harry Charles / Sir Harry Luke] / [Michael Furse, Dean of Trinity].

Manuscript Letter Signed (MLS) / Autographed Letter Signed (ALS) from Harry Luke to his father. The letter, on stationery of Corpus Christi College, Oxford, was surely written after / during Orientation week in 1903 when Luke started his Education at Trinity Collee, Oxford. Luke reports to his father: “I am having a capital time up here. It is quite delightful. I was met at the station by one of the fellows I was in Italy with, who escorted me to my lodgings, which are most Excellent. Then went to tea with another fellow, or rather ‘Man’ at Worcester Coll. & had Dinner at Trinity Hall. On Tuesday I had breakfast with Arthur at Balliol & lunched with Furse [that was Michael Furse], the Dean of Trinity. In fact I am having a fine time. The papers are very hard indeed, harder than I Expected. I will show them to you when I come down. We have two papers every day, from 9:30 to 12:30, & from 2-5…..arriving at Paddington at 12.15. I propose to sleep that night at Down St. to go down to Ascot the next day & from Ascot on to Eton. I have met several old Etonians up here, amongst others Cassaretti, who is at Trinity….I hope you are well. How is the Electrocuting getting on ? Much love & au revoir till Friday – Your loving son Harry” – “P.S. That pig Paul got a Scholarship at New College”.

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. Oxford, Corpus Christi College, [1903]. Small Octavo. 4 pages on A5 fold. From Sir Harry Luke’s personal Library.

168. [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.

169. [Sierra Leone Content] – Luke, Harry Charles / Clarendon Press / Robert William Chapman.

Manuscript Letter to Harry Lukach while in Sierra Leone, sent from Robert William Chapman in his position as Delegate for the Clarendon Press, informing Harry Lukach that the Clarendon Press has accepted his book [″A Bibliography of Sierra Leone”, Oxford, At the Clarendon Press, 1910] for publication: “My dear Lukach – I think we used to meet sometimes at the Strafford Club – you will be glad to know that the Delegates have now made an order accepting your book for publication as a contribution to learning and in the interest of the public service…..I am afraid there is no prospect of paying expenses out of sales, but we shall do our best so you will not expect the price to be low. Perhaps 8/6. I think you will find that a good price will not damage a book of this kind either in sale or in reputation…..our terms to authors are 25% off the publication….I am to congratulate you on the Delegate’s behalf for keeping the flag flying. They are always glad to do what they can for Oxford men abroad who research in their leisure. Yours sincerely RWChapman”.

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. Oxford, On Stationery of The Clarendon Press, 20th June, 1910. Quarto – Leaves. Two Quarto-Leaves Folded. From the personal collection of Sir Harry Luke.

170. [Ecclesiastical Content] – [Luke, Sir Harry / Lukach, Harry Charles] / Bell, George Kennedy Allen (Bishop of Chichester, later Dean of Canterbury) / Mar Ignatius Elias III (Patriarch of Antioch and Head of the Syriac Orthodox Church) / Davidson, Randall T. (Archbishop of Canterbury / Douglas, John Albert (Dean of St.Luke’s) / R.F.Borough (Chaplain in Constantinople).

Collection of significant Documents and exchange of letters regarding “Intercommunion between the Anglican Church and Orthodox Syrian Church”. The documents and letters show a string of stunning developments during the last days of the Ottoman Empire, between Mar Ignatius and the Archbishop of Canterbury in which the tensions between Churches, the charged atmosphere of the outgoing Ottoman Empire and fragility of the Patriarchate in Jerusalem are manifested in these communications. Striking also the clarity with which is determined that all parties have to avoid to anger the Turks and avoid having the Turks think that Mar Ignatius “is trying to form some political alliance with the British”. See all documents listed below and some highlights mentioned here: Typed Letter Signed (TLS) with manuscript annotations by the later Dean of Canterbury, George Bell, sent to Commander H[arry] Luke while Luke was in Venice during October 2022. The letter is accompanied by two Typescripts of letters between the Archbishop of Canterbury (then Randall Davidson) and Mar Ignatius as well as a highly confidential Memorandum which outlines the very delicate topic of Mar Ignatius asking the Archbishop if he would be “prepared to authorise and arrange that the Syrian Orthodox (Jacobites) in America and elsewhere who were outside the ministrations of their own clergy should be [could be] mininistered to by Anglican Priests”. According to the Memorandum, compiled and sent by Rev. John Albert Douglas, Vicar of S. Luke’s, to “Commander Luke” in October 1922, the highly conflicting topic of “Intercommunion between the Anglican Church and Orthodox Syrian Church”, started “in the autumn of 1920” and the correspondence before us presents the culmination of a two year long, significant correspondence between Lambeth Palace (Archbishop of Canterbury) and the Syrian Patriarchat in Antioch (Mar Ignatios – Elias III). Harry Luke was sought out as intermediate after it became clear that Mar Ignatius had either misunderstood items in the communication or was stalling and the Memorandum suggests that Luke, “possibly with Archdeacon Waddy” should call to Mar Ignatios and “remind him what it was and why it was that the Archbishop of Canterbury wrote to him”. The mediation, hoped for from Luke, was at time clearly based on Luke’s experience in the region and the letter from George Bell suggests he is hought to be the solution to this delicate matter. The Typescript of the Letter from Randall Davidson to Mar Ignatius is of great importance due to the Archbishop and Mar Ignatius firstly establish in no uncertain terms the righteousness of either faith. Randall Davidson, satisfied by this, agrees that “It is now my privilege in consequence of these communications to authorise these recognised members of the Orthodox Syrian Church who, being prevented from access to their own clergy, desire to receive the Holy Communion, or to have their children being baptised, or their marriage solemnized, to avail themselves of the ministration of our clergy”.

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. Canterbury / Jerusalem / Camberwell [South London], June – November, 1922. Octavo / Quarto. Eight Documents [Letters and Typescripts]. From the private collection / library of colonial governor, diplomat and historian, Sir Harry Luke.