161. [Private Materials Sir Harry Luke] – [Luke, Sir Harry / Lukach, Harry] Fremlin, Joyce.

Collection of three (3) lengthy, multi-page letters from his wife Joyce Fremlin to Sir Harry Luke.

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. Chelsea (London), 1946. Octavo. From the private collection / library of colonial governor, diplomat and historian, Sir Harry Luke.

162. [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.

163. [Miscellaneous] – [Luke, Sir Harry / Lukach, Harry] Smallbones, R.T [‘Bones’].

Memorandum for Sir Harry Luke relative to the property of R.T.Smallbones on the Island of Coludarz / Inquiry to his Majesty’s Secretary of State regarding the export of a trunk from R.T.Smallbone’s family. R.T.Smallbones writes here to his friend Harry Luke in Sao Paulo about a Trunk with some Heirlooms of his family which must have turned up in Austria after World War Two. Smallbones includes for Luke a copy of a letter which Smallbones had sent to the Secretary of State for Foreign AFfairs at the Foreign Office in London, explaining the History of the Heirlooms of his grandfather George Smallbones (″who was then employed by the Duke of Marlborough as a land agent”). Smallbones hopes that Harry Luke can help him bring the triunk back from Austria, where Luke holidayed regularly in Alt-Aussee.

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. Sao Paulo, 1952. Octavo. 3 Letters plus one page inventory. From the private collection / library of colonial governor, diplomat and historian, Sir Harry Luke.

164. [Caribbean Content] – [Luke, Sir Harry / Lukach, Harry / Rose, John (Architect Windward Islands)].

Manuscript letter from a friend [Carole] Sir Harry made during his posting on Barbados. The letter of a wife to the assistant colonial office architect Ben [?] talks about the fact that her husband can only take some leave if the Chief Architect of the Colonial Office, John Rose, is present. [‘You see there are two colonial architects for the Windward Island, John Rose, who is chief architect and Ben, who is assistant architect’]. The letter further inquires about Sir Harry’s wife Joyce and discusses some personal matters on Barbados.

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. Castries [St.Lucia], c.1949. Octavo. 3 pages. From the private collection / library of colonial governor, diplomat and historian, Sir Harry Luke.

165. [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.

166. [Private Materials Sir Harry Luke] – [Luke, Sir Harry / Lukach, Harry] Mrs. Lily Boys (nee Luke).

Seven Letters from Sir Harry Luke’s sister Lily and two of them with drafted answers by Luke (one of these on three pages). In one letter, Lily lets Harry know that one of her close friends is just reading the first Volume of Luke’s autobiography ‘Of Cities and Men’. The letters give an insight the closeness between brother and sister. Their handwriting is even similar due to the same teachers in their childhood. Luke’s personality and conflicts are discussed and the wish of his sister to comfort each other in their old age ‘instead of going on each others nerves’. Sir Harry was battling with Gout, a gift from his several postings, and his sister is asking about his health. They also discuss the holiday place at Alt-Aussee in Austria.

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. London, 1960. Octavo. 7 Letters. From the private collection / library of colonial governor, diplomat and historian, Sir Harry Luke.

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

Five letters to Sir Harry Luke by his doctor from Aldeburgh, Suffolk, and also included some smaller notes from other doctors he consulted during the years. The letters are lengthy, often personal due to the friendly relationship to his doctor. The gourmet and food loving writer, Sir Harry, receives already in 1952 the order: ‘In the interim you must go carefully with food and drink’. Included is also some ephemera like a photograph of a procession to church in Aldeburgh and some original prescriptions.

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. Aldeburgh (Suffolk) / Tempsford Hall (Bedfordshire), Deben House, 1952-1957. Octavo. 5 letters and ephemera. From the private collection / library of colonial governor, diplomat and historian, Sir Harry Luke.

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

Drawing by stonemason Hans Koebel (Steinbildhauermeister) for Sir Harry Luke’s personal Headstone for his grave.

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. Alt-Aussee (Austria), 1957. Octavo. From the private collection / library of colonial governor, diplomat and historian, Sir Harry Luke.

169. [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.

170. [Private Materials Sir Harry Luke] – [Luke, Sir Harry / Lukach, Harry] Ashbee, Charles Robert.

Manuscript letter Signed (MLS) by english architect and designer Charles Robert Ashbee to Sir Harry Luke, condoling him on the death of Luke’s father H.C.Luke. Ashbee reminisces: ‘I recall a charming hour I once spent with your father when on leave from Palestine – during your first year in Palestine [1921] – I brought him some message or other – the message is forgotten….the memory of the pleasant personality abides. Come to us again some day – Yours always, C.R.Ashbee – Godden Green – Near Sevenoaks).’

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. Godden Green, 1930. Octavo. 1 page in original envelope. From the private collection / library of colonial governor, diplomat and historian, Sir Harry Luke.