171. [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.

172. [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.

173. [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.

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

Two emotional letters from writer Peter Luke to his father, Sir Harry Luke. One of the letters from ‘The Shelbourne’ in Dublin (10th of April 1949) to Sir Harry while he is possibly travelling in Brazil, in which Peter Luke makes fun of his father giving him the middle names ‘Ambrose Cyprian’ and also mentioning that ‘By the way, just in case you meet any business people in Brazil, C& Co. are interested in exporting Port, Sherry + Irish Whisky to that country – Bon voyage – your affectionate son Peter’ / One of the letters from Peter Luke’s address in London discusses the wish to relocate to the Oxford area and contemplating if the location is right for his commute to work and Sir Harry obviously wants to help. Peter Luke informs him that he thinks 5000 pounds would do the trick but he was not sure ‘what your limit is’.

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. Dublin / London, 1949. Octavo. From the private collection / library of colonial governor, diplomat and historian, Sir Harry Luke.

175. [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.

176. [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.

177. [Sierra Leone Content] – [Luke, Harry / Lukach, Harry].

Collection of 16 letters (often multipage – letters) from Sir Harry Luke’s employed nanny who looked after the children while Sir Harry and his wife were posted in Sierra Leone. One letter also from Joyce Fremlin (that is Mrs. Luke) back to the Nanny. The letters are filled with extensive reports of the development of Sir Harry Luke’s children, Peter Luke and Michael Luke. / Trips to Alt-Aussee in Austria are talked about / Local situations in London etc./ The children Peter and Michael have included handwritten, often heartbreaking letters to their parents diplomatic posting in Africa while they were left behind in England. An interesting look into the life and often emotional hardship of british diplomats in the foreign / colonial service of the early 20th century. The collection also includes seven private photographs.

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. Alt-Aussee / London, 1927. Octavo. From the private collection / library of colonial governor, diplomat and historian, Sir Harry Luke.

178. [Sierra Leone Content] – [Luke, Harry / Lukach, Harry].

Collection of twentyone (21) letters to Sir Harry Luke during his posting as colonial secretary in Freetown / Sierra Leone (1924 – 1928). Twelve (12) of the letters are from J.H.Luke (Sir Harry’s father) and he discusses with him, as usual very opinionated, not only family matters but also politics, matters relating to the colonial administration. Interestingly J.H.Luke also follows and influences the career of his son Harry by alerting him in a letter from April, 2nd, 1928 of the fact ‘that the Chief Secretaryship of Palestine has become vacant by the appointment of Colonel Symes as Resident at Aden….’ / In another letter from April 13th, 1928, J.H.Luke writes to his son Harry: ‘I am glad you took time to consider the Transjordan post – until you heard of the vacancy in Palestine; / He also informs him that he heard that ‘Guggisberg [that was Sir Frederick Gordon Guggisberg] was offered the Governorship of British Guiana (before the change in the Constitution) which he declined’. / In another letter he informs his son that ‘The rumours about Guggisberg going to Newfoundland have been contradicted in the Times’ / J.H. Luke also thanks his son for the interesting lecture on Slavery in Sierra Leone. / The other letters contain more poltical talk, society talk (often a mixture of both when for example J.H.Luke talks about the marriage of the former Miss Janet Phillips to a member of the British diplomatic corps, Leander McCormick-Goodhart). Four of the letters are from Luke’s mother one from a friend called Amelie and one from his sister Lily.

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. London / Sierra Leone, 1928. Octavo. From the private collection / library of colonial governor, diplomat and historian, Sir Harry Luke.

179. [Sierra Leone Content] – [Luke, Harry / Lukach, Harry] / Probyn, Sir Leslie.

Vintage Photograph of Harry Luke together with Sir Leslie Probyn, Governor of Sierra Leone from 1908-1910 (dated verso “Freetown, 1910”). The photograph shows a very young Harry Luke and was taken during Luke’s tenure as Private Secretary and Aide-de-Camp to Sir Leslie Probyn.

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. Freetown, Sierra Leone, 1910. Large Octavo. Photograph itself: 14 cm x 19 cm. / Mounted on carton 20 cm x 26,5 cm. From the private collection / library of colonial governor, diplomat and historian, Sir Harry Luke.

180. [Sierra Leone Content] – [Luke, Harry / Lukach, Harry] Edward, Prince of Wales / Alphonso Sylvester Lisk-Carew.

Vintage Photograph of Harry Luke with Edward, Prince of Wales, 1925, Sierra Leone. [at Municipal Garden Park in Sierra Leone]. Photograph taken by Alphonso Sylvester Lisk-Carew, Freetown, Sierra Leone.

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. Sierra Leone, 1925. 14 cm x 19 cm. From the private collection / library of colonial governor, diplomat and historian, Sir Harry Luke.