201. [Mesopotamia / Mosul Content] – [Luke, Sir Harry / Lukach, Harry].

Wonderful example of the research trips Harry Luke made for his later publications: Copy of a full page letter Sir Harry wrote from Mosul to his father in 1924: “My dear Father, only a hearty line in the state of great rush to tell you that we safely accomplished the Journey across the desert from Jerusalem to Damascus to Baghdad, though it took us 5 days instead of 2 and a half owing to breakdown and sticking in the mud etc. At one place, half way across the desert, we stuck for 20 hours. We left Jerusalem on the 9th and got to Baghdad on the 14th at noon and had to leave that same evening for Mosul, as the trains only go twice a week. We had 15 hours in the train to the Northern terminus of the Baghdad Railway and then 75 miles by car. We are being put up by the British Political Officer here, in a charming house. Today I have been out all day in neighbouring Jacobite and Chaldean villages and monasteries and this evening visited one of the persons I had especially come here to Kurdistan to see, namely the hereditary Patriarch of the Nestorians, now a boy of 15, who has been Patriarch for 3 years, an attractive shy lad who not officiating as Patriarch plays football with the other Nestorian children. Tomorrow we go out to the Shrine of the Yezidis, or Devil-worshippers, in the company of their hereditary Emir (who I am told is always tight). We leave here on the 20th for Bagdad and then straight back to Jerusalem.”

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. Mosul, 1924. Octavo. One and a half page – Typescript Letter. From the private collection / library of colonial governor, diplomat and historian, Sir Harry Luke.

202. [Education of Sir Harry Luke] – [Lukach, Harry Charles / Sir Harry Luke] / Farnborough School.

Wonderful Manuscript Letter signed by 14 year old Harry Charles Lukach to his Father: “My dear Father, In this week’s marks in Classics I am first with 117, in Mathematics first with 46, and in French Seventh with 26 marks. In the match against Sunningdale we beat them by 4 goals to 2. The Gordon Highlanders won their return match by 5 goals to 2. On Wednesday the first and second eleven play Hillside, and on Saturday the first Eleven play Hartley Row. In the Common Sense Paper I was sixth with 233 marks out of 400. The Anthem this Evening is “The Radiant Morn” – With much love, Your loving son, Harry”.

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. Farnborough,, October 31st, 1897. Octavo. One manuscript letter, accompanied by two Common-Sense and General Knowledge Papers from Farnborough School, Lent School Time, 1897. From the private collection / library of colonial governor, diplomat and historian, Sir Harry Luke.

203. [Education of Sir Harry Luke] – [Lukach, Harry Charles / Sir Harry Luke] / [Pirie-Gordon, Harry].

Wonderful Manuscript Letter signed by Harry Charles Lukach (later Sir Harry Luke) to his Father, written during a holiday which Luke spent in the Western Isles on Iona, together with his friend Harry Pirie-Gordon: “My dear Father, many thanks for your letter. I sent you the Oban Times yesterday with an account of our Swim. We are getting quite notorious….The other day a parson & his wife arrived here & when I was introduced, said: “Are you the Mr. L. I read about in the papers….” I am so glad you are getting the Cleveland Row business finally settled. When will you actually begin to build ? How long is Westinghouse staying in England. Best love, H.” [″Pirie-Gordon had his “Viva” last week. He got a 3rd, & is rather disappointed.”] / Also enclosed is another letter, related to the holiday which Luke and Pirie-Gordon spent together because it proofs Luke extended his holiday to stay with Pirie-Gordon longer. This letter, regarding a payment Luke made, was unsuccessfully sent on September 13th, 1905 to two addresses where Luke was supposed to be until he Luke is found at the Country House of the Pirie-Gordon-Family at Gwernvale, Crickhowell near Abergavenny in South Wales. The letter places Luke with the Pirire-Gordon-Family just a few months before Baron Corvo will be a guest there and start collaborating with Pirie-Gordon on “The Rule of the Order of SS. Sophia”.

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. Iona, August 7th, 1905. Octavo. One manuscript letter, accompanied by two an original section from the Oban Times in which the adventures of Luke and Pirie-Gordon were discussed in the issue of Saturday, August 5, 1905. From the private collection / library of colonial governor, diplomat and historian, Sir Harry Luke.