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British Colonial History (286 items)

Manuscript Letter Signed (MLS) from Sir Harry Luke's Great Uncle Vilmos.

93. [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.

EUR 275.000,-- 

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[Luke, Manuscript Letter from Sir Harry Luke to his sister Lily during his posting in Sierra Leone

94. [Sierra Leone Content] – [Luke, Sir Harry / Lukach, Harry / Edward, Prince of Wales / Edward VIII].

Important Manuscript Letter Signed (MLS) / Autographed Letter Signed from Sir Harry Luke to his Father, Mother & Sister Lily during his second posting in Sierra Leone, this time as Colonial Secretary of Sierra Leone. Sir Harry describes at length the visit of the Prince of Wales (later Edward VIII) to the Colony in 1925: “My dear Father & Mother & Lily, To-day being Easter Monday I am spending in bed in an endeavour to recover from the fatigues of a trying but successful week. The Prince’s visit …..may be said to have been an unqualified success; & I hope you will look out for photos of it in the daily & weekly press”. Luke describes how he was sitting next to the Prince at lunch and later he had a ‘chance of telling him two stories which seemed to amuse him’. In his four-page-letter, Sir Harry continues: ‘I also talked to him at the Garden Party [the photograph of Sir Harry Luke next to the Prince of Wales at the Garden Party is a famous image of the Prince’s visit to Sierra Leone and the original is part of the collection]”. “He is very pleasant, but frightfully nervous & fidgety & leads an impossible life. After the very streanous profanities…..he insisted on playing Squash, despite the great heat, before the Dinner party, then after the ball went motoring to the beach with some of the more attractive of the Ladies, then went to some of their houses & danced & drank cold beer until 5 in the morning. When he went to bed for 2 hours. Apparently he seldom sleeps for more than that. At Dinner, when he was sitting between 2 very dark & matriarchical women (one of the Lady S.) he looked across at me with a smile & a wink. After he left I went for a day’s cruise in ‘HMS Endeavour’, the Survey Ship now working here, for a bit of rest…[..]”.

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. [Freetown] Sierra Leone, 1925. Octavo. 4 page letter (on two sheets). From the private collection / library of colonial governor, diplomat and historian, Sir Harry Luke.

EUR 275.000,-- 

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[Luke, Correspondence between Peter Luke and Sir Harry Luke while lhe was living on Cyprus

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

Important typescript mentioning Cyprus, with manuscript annotations by Sir Harry Luke – the typescript is a copy of a letter which Sir Harry Luke wrote to his son Michael Luke on December 1st, 1963 from his residence in 96 Hellas Street, Kyrenia and Luke informs his son of Harrap (Publisher) urging him on to publish a revised edition of his Cyprus book. Luke writes: “The day before i left Harraps asked me if I would be willing to do a revised edition of my Cyprus book. I did not even know that the stock was down to its last few copies. I naturally said yes, and that is what i am working on now. It is involving, in fact, quite a bit of thought and work because I will have to trace the painful transition from British Crown Colony, which Cyprus was then, to Independent republic.” – Luke also reflects on the recent assassination of JFK: “The Dallas outrage is indeed a world tragedy. Not only is it the case that the world’s most valuable life of the moment has been taken; we have all lost something young, buoyant and infinitely engaging”.

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. London, 1964. Octavo. Thirteen (13) letters and one Telegram and one photograph in total: 6 Letters from Peter Luke to his father, Sir Harry Luke / 2 manuscript draft – letters from Harry Luke / 2 annotated typescripts by Sir Harry Luke / 1 Letter from Michael Luke to his father, Sir Harry Luke / 1 Letter from Lloyds Bank to Sir Harry Luke / 1 Letter from June Luke (Peter Luke’s wife) in which June refers to the tragedy Cyprus is experiencing during the intercommunal violence between the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots on “Bloody Christmas”. June Luke is feeling with Sir Harry Luke “…i hear you have been through so many rebellions and revolutions that this will seem nothing ! – But all the same it must be very depressing for you to witness such turmoil in a country that you love so well”. From the private collection / library of colonial governor, diplomat and historian, Sir Harry Luke.

EUR 275.000,-- 

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