1. [Education of Sir Harry Luke] – [Lukach, Harry Charles / Sir Harry Luke] Luke, J.H. / R.M.S.Teutonic.

Two Manuscript Letters (MLS / ALS), signed and sent from J.H.Luke on Board a Cross-Atlantic Trip from Liverpool to New York via Queenstown [Cobh in Ireland] on Stationery of R.M.S.Teutonic, to his then nine-year-old son Harry Charles Lukach (later Sir Harry Luke). Letter One – “Queenstown, April 20th 93 [1893]”: “My dear Harry, Mama writes me that you are a good boy and this gives me great pleasure for now that I am away you are the only man in the house and although but a little one – it is your duty to look after Mamaas much as you can and see that she is happy and not troubled or worried – Be very attentive and obedient – I will be glad to hear you are acting as I bid you to. You would be surprised to see this enormous magnificent fine ship. I fancy she carries over 3000 people. Namely 300 first class passengers – 500 second class passengers – 1500 steerage passengers – 1000 sailors, stewards, Officers are 3300 in all. – It is quite a little world afloat – I send you a list of passengers & also a menu so you see we are not starving – altho’ out on the wide ocean. Poor Robinson Crusoe would have been content with one of the many dishes & had to put up with less comfort. Tell little Baby that Daddy send his love to her. Remember me to Mama. I hope you are getting on nicely at school – Your loving father J.H.Lukach” / Letter Two – “off New York – April 26th 93 [1893]”: My dear Harry, In 4 or 5 hours we will run into New York harbour and probably be landed this afternoon at 5 o’clock. Yesterday being the last evening on Bard we had a concert of which I enclose the programm. The Earl of Aberdeen – the future Governor of Canada – made a very interesting speech in which he alluded to the comic remark on the programm “carriages at 9.45” by saying that he trusts everybody had also ordered their “seahorses”. Over £ 60 – were collected for the poor orphans & the very jolly evening ended by singing God save the Queen & Hail Columbia. I am sure you will be glad to hear that the journey was conducted by being good for the poor little children who are suffering starvation. – We have seen no ships all the way but today its getting livelier for we have passed several small vessels. Tomorrow is holiday in America because of the great naval review that takes place in New York harbour and which I will go to see. I am sending you my chart showing the number of miles we ran each day which you must save. I hope you are a good boy & very obedient to your Mama – whom you are trying hard to please & make happy. I am very impatient to learn from home how dear Mama you & Baby are – with love – Your father J H Lukach – Remember me to Mama”.

[This item is part of the Sir Harry Luke – Archive / Collection]. Queenstown [Cobh / Ireland] / New York / R.M.S.Teutonic, 1893. Octavo. Two manuscript letters (8 pages). From Sir Harry Luke’s personal Library.

2. [Malta Content] – [Luke, Sir Harry / Lukach, Harry].

Correspondance of 10 letters between Sir Harry Luke and Commander J.R. Clay of Clay’s Marine Steering Gear Limited on behalf of his father J.H.Luke, who was a partner in the company and held a patent on Steering Gear used in the ships of the ‘White Star Line’ from which J.H. Luke hoped to get an income. Sir Harry took over the correspondance from his father who fell ill during the year 1930. The collection of letters is very interesting in regard of the company’s relation ot The Stottpool Steamship Company’ – the fate of the company being discussed in the paper as ‘COMPANY WITHOUT CAPITAL’ – Nothing coming in or going out (Owner were: J.H.Luke / Sir A. Henry Mc Mahon / Comm. J.R.Clay / Lord Southborough / Sir Harry receives information from Commander Clay in a letter from July 17th, 1930 regarding the fact that ‘We have not had any further orders for the Gear, but as previously mentioned to you there is another Motor Vessel similar to the ’″Britannic” building in Belfast for the White Star Line, and we should be able to get the order for her’. The correspondance goes into detail: ‘You will note from the pamphlet which i prepared that the new helm order will become law on the 30th of June 1931. When in Belfast on the trials of the “Brittanic” I met one of the Committee of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea…..He represents the Gyro Compass Company in London and i hopeto bring him to see you as I consider he will be able to help us considerably by recommending the adoption of the Steering Gear Device.’ / The correspondance mainly between Liverpool and Sir Harry Luke’s summer – address in Alt-Aussee, Steiermark, Austria. / The correspondance also includes a manuscript letter in which Sir Harry writes about his fathers illness and wonders if it is really worthwhile to renew the patent in light of the fact ‘that for so many years hardly any line except th White Star Line has adopted the Gear’. [The collection also includes a further 8 letters and also the papers of the estate of Sir Harry’s father. Sir Harry corresponds with his families solicitor, Oliver Dayrell Paget Paget-Cooke and besides the technicalities of the estate also encourages him to visit Malta / one page also on stationery of “The Palace – Malta”].

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