While we were walking the overgrown site of the Bells’ demolished Rounton Grange, by chance we met Gertrude’s great-nephew Bob Richmond and his father, Miles. Their help, then and subsequently, has been considerable. Susanna Richmond, daughter of Gertrude’s half-sister Elsa, lived for a time with Gertrude’s parents, Hugh and Florence. She has given us many reflections and critical questions to consider. She still lectures about her aunt, and remembers a magical moment of empathy with her on her last trip to England. We have gained great pleasure from our visits to Patricia Jennings, Gertrude’s niece, who remembers her with awe. At her home on the Trevelyan estate in County Durham, she showed us the family albums and the cedar of Lebanon that Gertrude brought home as a seed and planted on the lawn.
Sir John and Lady Venetia Bell, farming together the Yorkshire land acquired by Gertrude’s grandfather, were extremely kind in showing us pictures and memorabilia. We are specially grateful to Venetia for introductions and guidance, photographs, and permissions. Dr. William Plowden kindly provided us with a wealth of anecdote and a valuable unpublished biography of Dame Florence Bell. We also appreciate the connections given to us by Nick Vester.
We would particularly like to thank the following: Jane Mulvagh and Anthony Bourne for wonderful hospitality and introductions; Anne-Françoise Normand for the historical identity of Iraq; Martin Brown, Secretary of Rounton Parish Council, for photography, and Terry Huck for showing us the Rounton festival displays. Malcolm Hamlyn of Edmund Carr has earned our gratitude for his professional advice throughout this project. When we stayed in Gertrude’s childhood home, Red Barns, now a hotel, the proprietor Martin Cooper allowed us to crawl about in the cellars and attics where Gertrude played. While we were exploring the site of the Bell foundries at Clarence in Middlesbrough, Graham Bennet of the Bridge Museum showed us original footage of Sir Hugh and Lady Bell at the opening of the Transporter Bridge.
We are grateful to Mrs. Jane Hogan at Durham University Library for helping us with collections including the all-important letters from Gertrude to Valentine Chirol. Gillian Robinson at the Imperial War Museum helped us find the last letter from Lieutenant-Colonel Doughty-Wylie about his wife.
Mrs. Abu Husainy at the National Archives, Judy Hunton at Redcar Public Library, Brenda Mitchell of Tyne Tees Television, Diana Wright of the Literary and Philosophical Society in Newcastle, David Spooner in the Cabinet Office, Julie Carrington at the Royal Geographical Society, and Helen Pugh of the Red Cross all earned our considerable thanks for their help. Jessica Stewart of Berkeley, California, did us a great service by sharing her transcripts of many of Gertrude’s barely legible handwritten texts in the Bell Miscellaneous archive in the Robinson Library. Researcher Anita Burdett, a Middle East specialist, searched records in the National Archives, the Women’s Library, the Red Cross archives, and the Imperial War Museum.
For their help and suggestions we thank Editorial Manager Georgina Difford and Kate Harvey of Macmillan; Zoe Pagnamenta of PfD, our agent in New York; and Claire Gill and Emily Sklar of PfD in London.
Amongst many lifelong friends in the world of books who have encouraged us with ideas and criticism we thank particularly Virginia Ironside, Jonathan Mantle, Jean Moore, and Nicky Hessenberg. Fiona McCarthy elucidated a reference of Gertrude’s to Byron’s goose. Reflections on Gertrude’s character have provided a continuing source of discussion with Betty Woodall. Peter and Anthea Pemberton have heartened us with their continuing interest, as well as their occasional criticism for not writing the book on the back of a camel.
INDEX
Note: ill. following an entry indicates that there is an illustration of the subject in the plate section.
GLB stands for Gertrude Lowthian Bell; WWI for World War I.
A
Abadan, Iran, 244
Abdiyah Hanem (mother of King Faisal), 335
Abdul Hamid, Sultan of Turkey, 335, 337
Abdul Mahsin Bey, Iraq Prime Minister, 404
Abdul Rahman, Sayyid (the Naqib), 209, 361–62, 366, 375–76, 379, 388, 392, 393
Abdullah (camel driver), 176–77
Abdullah ibn Hussain, Amir: in Constantinople, 336
visits Storrs, 243
childhood, 335, 336
and Arab Revolt, 337, 339–40, 343, 359
suggested King of Iraq, 359
King of Transjordan, 365, 368, 398–99
GLB meets, 398–99
Abu Ghar, Iraq, 202, 215
Abu Namrud (guide), 178
Adana, Turkey, 119
Addis Ababa, Abyssinia, 132, 145, 146, 208, 222
Admiralty, British: Intelligence Division, 160–61, 236–37, 238
Agail tribesmen, 107
Akhwan sect, see Wahabi sect
Al Arab, 299
al-Muqtadir, Caliph, 210
Albania, 143, 144, 162
Aleppo, Syria, 110, 119, 313, 314, 358
Ali (camel driver), 173, 174, 184, 193, 200–201
Ali ibn Hussain, Emir: in Arab Revolt, 335, 337–40
subsequently, 397
Ali Sulaiman, Sheikh, Chief of the Dulaim, 377, 378
Allenby, Gen. Edmund, 1st Viscount of Megiddo, 344, 346–47, 349, 355, 357
Alpine Journal, 86, 92
Alps: French, 66–67, 74–79
Swiss, 79–85, 86–92
Amery, Sir Leonard (“Leo”), 387, 415
Amida (journal), 125
Amman, Jordan, 178, 398
Anatolia, Turkey, 118, 125, 127
Anazeh tribe, 200, 212, 283, 300, 377
Anglo-Persian Oil Company, 244, 333
animals, 187–88, 297–98, 315
dogs, 403, 406, 414
gazelle, 212, 298
greyhounds, 298, 315
horses, 97, 298
see also camels
Anti-Suffrage League, 72
Aphrodisias, Turkey, 128
Aqaba, Jordan, 122, 344
Arab Bulletin, 267, 270
Arab Bureau, Cairo Intelligence Department, 240–42, 244, 246–53, 254, 270, 271, 308, 341;
“Intrusives”, 250, 254, 308
Arab Independence Movement, 247, 254
Arab nationalism, 316, 318–25, 337–38, 345, 357
Arab Revolt, 242–43, 246, 247–52, 254, 338–46
attitude of Indian government, 250–51
Arabia (“Middle East”) 94–96
in Sykes-Picot Agreement, 345
in San Remo Pact, 345
see also desert, travelling in and place names
Arabia (ship), 160
Arabic language, 97, 103, 106, 109, 292
archaeology, 73, 103, 111, 112–14, 123, 124–25, 127–29
GLB at Carchemish, 125
Director of Antiquities in Iraq, 410–11, 416
Areh village, Jordan, 104
Armenians, 122, 322–23
Ashur, Mesopotamia, 126
Asir, Saudi Arabia, 336
Asquith, Herbert H., 1st Earl of Oxford, British Prime Minister, 71
Auda abu Tayyi, Sheikh, 344
Awali, massacre, 339
Awwad, 188
B
Babylon, Iraq, 110, 124, 131, 210, 403
Baghdad: history, 210
GLB visits, 1909, 110
under Turkish rule, 279, 289–90
GLB in, 1914, 207–11
British occupy, 1917, 272, 276, 288–89, 291–92, 309
Indian army surrounds, 280
GLB moves, 272, 274–75
GLB working in, 276–78, 280–85, 288–95, 298–301, 302–303
1919, 289
GLB returns to work in, 316–18, 320–21, 323–34
in 1920, 323–25
Hugh Bell visits, 1920, 315–16
GLB working in, 360–64, 369–76, 379–82, 383–85, 388–96, 397–98, 399, 401–406
Faisal in, 1921, 373–74, 375–76, 380
with Faisal as King, 381, 383–84, 388, 389–99, 401, 402–404, 406
GLB in, 1926, 409–13,
GLB’s house in, 275–76, 404, 412–13, ill.
GLB’s office, 284, 383–84
cemetery, 416
convent, 296
Faisal’s palace, 388, 392
Iraq Museum in, xviii, 410, 411, 415–16
Jews in, 313–14
Public Library, 379
GLB’s work for women in, 72, 316
Bajlan, Mustafa Pasha, Chief of Khanikin, 309, 310
Balad, Iraq, 289
Balfour, Arthur James, 1st Earl, British Foreign Secretary, 353, 355, 356
Balfour, Col. Frank, 290–91, 367
Balfour Declaration, 353–54, 356, 369
Bani Tamim tribe, 303
Baqubah, Iraq, 323
Barre des Écrins mountain, France, 78–79
Basra, Iraq, 277, 278
Sayyid Taliib in, 247
GLB working in, 256–57, 258–61, 262–72, 274, 339, 342, 387
under Turkish rule, 290
1917, 289, 300
Faisal arrives, 1921, 373, 374
Bayreuth, Bavaria, 76
Bedouin, 95, 98, 99, 115, 167, 174, 182–84, 251, 280–81
Beg, Muhammad, 178
Beirut, 114, 314
Belgrave Terrace, Number 10, London, 54
Belka plain, Jordan, 146
Bell, Ada (aunt of GLB), 5, 9–11, 12, 14, 99
Bell, Charles (uncle of GLB), 5, 13–14
Bell, Elsa (later Lady Richmond;
half-sister of GLB), 6, 13, 48, 128, 157, 271
childhood, 19, 25, 46
Baghdad, 405
Bell, Florence (née Olliffe; stepmother of GLB): early life, 11–12, 23, 24
career, 10, 24
meets Hugh Bell, 11
marries Hugh, 12–13
GLB’s childhood, 13–27, 28, 29–32, 41
in GLB’s youth, 33, 41, 42, 45–48, 54, 55–56
clothes, 15
social work, 33–36, 70
and Henry James, 49
and GLB as adult, 136, 139, 235–56, 295, 297, 312–13
in WWI, 220
DBE., 297
in 1925, 407, 408
after death of GLB, 418
correspondence with GLB, 21, 28, 30, 38, 43–44, 47, 55, 56, 96, 99, 106–107, 118, 129, 130, 160, 170, 180, 224, 229–30, 232–33, 235, 236, 241, 246–47, 269–70, 271, 272, 275–76, 286, 295, 297, 299, 304, 312, 318, 325, 329–31, 334, 369, 379, 386–87, 392, 395, 403, 404, 405, 408–409
writes of GLB, 16, 17, 41, 45, 59, 139, 418
ill.
WORKS: Alan’s Wife (play), 24
Angela (play), 17
At the Works, 33–35, 70
Bluebeard (opera), 12
essays, 23
The Letters of Gertrude Bell, 17, 414, 430
Bell, Gertrude: birth, 8
childhood, 6, 9, 11, 13–14, 15–27, 187–88
school, 28–32
university years, 32–40
in Bucharest, 42–45
as debutante, 45, 46–48
in Persia, 50–57
in London, 1892–3, 56–57
mountaineering, 1897, 74–76
world tour with Maurice, 60
mountaineering, 1899, 74, 76–79
in Jerusalem with Rosens, 67, 96–98
travels in desert, 1900, 99–109
mountaineering, 1901–2, 80–92
world tour with Hugo, 62–64, 67
at durbar in Delhi, 61–62
mountaineering, 1903–4, 91–92
desert travel, 1905, 109–10, 114–21
archaeological work, 111–14, 124–25, 127–29, 411
in England, 1907–8, 131–43
desert travel, 1909, 110, 112, 120, 124
desert travel, 1911, 110, 125–26
in England, 1912–13, 163–65
desert travels, 1913–14, 110–11, 164–69, 170–93
in Hayyil, 194–205
return to Baghdad, 206–11
journey to Damascus, 211–16
in England, 1914, 147, 217–22
Wounded and Missing Enquiry Department, Boulogne, 147–49, 221–35
London, 1915, 234–37
in Cairo with British Intelligence Department, 160–61, 239–53
visits Doughty-Wylie’s grave?, 157–58, 160–61, 247
on ship to India, 254
in India with Viceroy, 255–57
in Basra with Chief Political Officer, 258–72, 342, 387
in Baghdad, 1919, 274–301
in England and France, 1919, 303–304, 312–13
travels, 314–15
at Paris Peace Conference, 305–308, 311–12, 347–53, 354, 355–56
in Baghdad, 1919–20, 314–34, 359–64, 361, ill.
at Cairo conference, 1, 366–69
Baghdad, 1921, 369–76
at Ramadi tribal gathering, 376–79
Baghdad, 1921–23, 379–82, 383–85, 388–98
Faisal’s stories of, 385–86
with father, meets Abdullah, 398–99
Baghdad, 1923–25, 399–406
in England, 1925, 406–408
Baghdad, 1926, 409–13
Director of Antiquities in Iraq, 410–11, 416
death, 413–15
funeral, 416–17
PERSONAL: appearance, 42–43
character and abilities, 26, 30, 31, 39–41, 49, 73, 74, 121–22, 136, 139–40, 143, 257–58, 413, 414–15, 417
portraits, 69, 406
honours and awards, 69, 285, 297
tributes to, 414–17
ill.
RELATIONSHIPS: with men, 139–40
Cadogan, 52–56, 57, 164
Chirol, 44
Cornwallis, 401–403
Doughty-Wylie, 129–38, 162–64, 167, 171, 246, 296
Faisal, 389–90, 395, 401–402
father, 16, 41, 106–107, 163–64, 170, 247, 304, 316, 408
with stepmother Florence, 22, 26–67, 41, 246–47, 297, 408–409
WORKS: Amurath to Amurath, 124
The Arab of Mesopotamia, 270–71
The Churches and Monasteries of the Tur Abdin, 125
The Desert and the Sown, 120, 130, 182–83, 184
diaries, 62, 120–121, 123, 175, 177, 178, 179–80, 181, 207
The Divan of Hafiz, 57–58, 59
letters, see under names of recipients
The Palace and Mosque at Ukhaidir, 124, 169, 176
Persian Pictures, 56
poetry, 58, 59, 64
Review of the Civil Administration of Mesopotamia, 293, 310, 329, 371, 445n
“Self-Determination in Mesopotamia,”307–308
The Thousand and One Churches, 125, 127, 131
Bell, Sir Hugh (father of GLB), 5, 7, 32–33, 54, 99, 136, 139, 163, 229, 286, 296
career, 7–8, 9, 20, 33–34, 121–22
speeches, 8
first marriage, 9, 16
second marriage, 10–11, 12–13, 23, 163
in GLB’s childhood, 13, 14, 16, 19, 21, 26
in her youth, 30–31, 32, 54, 55, 59, 61
mountaineering with GLB, 75
in France with GLB, 1919, 303–304, 348
visits Iraq, 315–16, 318
in Paris with GLB, 1922, 369
in Jerusalem, 398
in 1925, 407–408
1926, 414, 418
correspondence with GLB, 32, 78, 101, 170–71, 229–30, 253, 256, 257, 258, 264, 269–70, 271, 272, 275–76, 286, 296, 298, 299, 303, 328, 334, 364, 379, 380, 386–87, 395, 404, 405, 409, 413
ill.
Bell, Hugo (half-brother of GLB), 19, 61, 63–64, 67–68, 255, 315
death, 409
Bell, Sir [Isaac] Lowthian (grandfather of GLB), 9, 54, 61, 111
career, 4, 5
made baronet, 32–33
character, 5–6, 121
death, 64
ill.
Bell, Mary (“Maisie”) (later Stanley; aunt of GLB), 5, 10, 11, 12, 113
Bell, Mary
(née Shield; mother of GLB), 9, 16, 163
ill.
Bell, Maurice (brother of GLB), 271
childhood, 9, 13, 14, 16, 17, 20, 21
education, 26, 46
travels with GLB, 60
in Boer War, 90, 99
in WWI, 228, 230, 234
after WWI, 296, 418
Bell, Mary (“Molly”) (later Lady Trevelyan
half-sister of GLB), 19, 22, 26, 46, 48, 81, 139, 271, 295, 403
quoted, 25, 235
Bell Brothers Ironworks, 4, 7–8, 9, 33, 61
Beni Hassan tribe, 116
Beni Sakhr tribe, 100, 115–16, 175
Berlin, 75
Bethlehem, Palestine, 97
Binbirkilisse, Turkey: archaeology, 110, 119, 125, 127
ill.
Blount, Miss (in Arabia), 107
Blunt, Lady Anne, 123, 168, 240
Blunt, Wilfrid, 123, 168
Bodley, Ronald, 373n
Body, Dr Thomas, 406
Boer War, 90, 99, 129
Bonham-Carter, Sir Edgar, Judicial Secretary, Iraq, 291–92, 293, 294
Booth, Charles, 33
Bosra, Jordan, 102
Boulogne, France: Casino, 226
Faisal in, 357
Office of Red Cross Wounded and Missing Enquiry Department, 147–48, 220–221, 222–35, 371
Bowman, Humphrey, 294–95, 317
Boyle, Capt. William H. D., 341
Brémond, Col. Edouard, 341
British Empire, 8–9, 61, 254, 272, 286
British Museum, 61, 129, 407, 410
Brooking, Gen. H. T., 262
Browne, Edward G., 57
Bucharest, Romania, 42–45
Burgon, John, 38
Burgoyne, Elizabeth, 406
Burmah Oil, 244
Burnett, Dr. James, 25
Burqu, Jordan, 175
Bush, Capt. Eric Wheeler, 159–60
Bute, island, Scotland, 9
Byron, George Gordon, 6th Baronet, 105
Byzantine empire, 114, 124, 127, 128, 210
C
Cabinet, Iraq, 361, 362, 363, 388, 392
Cadogan, Henry, 52–56, 57, 131, 136, 138–39, 164
Cairo, Egypt, 168
GLB arrives in, 160
Hotels, 240
British Intelligence Bureau, 160–61, 218, 236–37, 238, 239–44, 246–53, 254, 263
see also Arab Bureau
Cairo Conference, 1921, 3, 365–69, 370, 400
camels, 106, 187–88, 213
Carchemish, Syria, 110, 125, 169, 241, 258
Carlyon, L. A., 157–58
Carol, King of Romania, 43
Carruthers, Douglas (cartographer), 169
Cecil, Robert, 1st Viscount of Chelwood, 225, 229, 230, 234, 235, 304, 330, 355
Chalabi, Musa, 275, 297
Gertrude Bell Page 58