T. E. Lawrence Papers, 1894-2006, 1911-2000

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Summary

Creators:
Lawrence, T. E. (Thomas Edward), 1888-1935.
Abstract:
The collection consists of papers concerning British soldier and author T.E. Lawrence (1888-1935) including manuscripts (by and about Lawrence), correspondence (including over 150 letters by Lawrence), photographs, drawings, reproductions and ephemera. Also included in the collection is research material of various Lawrence collectors and scholars.
Extent:
8,707 pieces. 86 boxes.
Language:
English.

Background

Scope and content:

The collection consists of manuscripts (by and about Lawrence), correspondence (including over 150 letters by Lawrence), photographs, drawings, reproductions and ephemera. Also included in the collection is research material of various Lawrence collectors and scholars. Correspondents represented in the collection include: Tom W. Beaumont, Brian Carter, Sir Sydney Carlyle Cockerell, Doubleday and Company, inc.,Theodora Duncan, David Garnett, Robert Graves, H. Montgomery Hyde, Augustus John, Jonathan Cape (Firm), Phillip Knightley, Pat T. Knowles, A.W. Lawrence, Sir Basil Henry Liddell Hart, John Mack, Edwards H. Metcalf, Jeffrey Meyers, Robert Payne, Raymond Savage, Bernard Shaw, Charlotte Frances Payne-Townshend Shaw, Clare Sydney Smith, Sir Ronald Storrs, Lowell Thomas, and Jeremy Wilson. Significant language represented other than English: French.

Strengths of the collection: This collection has several strong points for the purpose of research. The collection contains over 150 letters by T.E. Lawrence, and approximately, 30 letters addressed to him. The collection also contains a typewritten draft of The Mint and various pages from his translation of The Odyssey. The real strength of the collection lies in the manuscripts and correspondence relating to Lawrence, his writing, the people who knew him, the Arab Revolt, and the Middle East. The collection contains very little early Lawrence manuscripts or letters, nor family or personal material.

The papers consist of the following series:

1. Manuscripts (Boxes 1-8) are arranged alphabetically by author and title. This series includes one box of Lawrence manuscripts (Box 4), which includes a bound diary for 1911-1912, an early typewritten draft of The Mint, and several items relating to Lawrence’s translation of The Odyssey. The majority of the manuscripts are about Lawrence, his life and writing, or were written by others about events relating to Lawrence.

Included in this series are articles, essays, lectures, publishers’ material, R.A.F. certificates and forms, book reviews, and interviews. The series includes manuscripts by other authors, most notably, Richard Aldington, Gertrude Lowthian Bell, E.M. Forster, Golden Cockerel Press, Robert Graves, Augustus John, Basil Liddell Hart, John Mack, Clare Sydney Smith, and Walter Stirling.

2. Correspondence (Boxes 9-28) is arranged alphabetically by author. This series includes some personal and business letters of T.E. Lawrence, including letters to and from his agent, illustrator, and publishers concerning the publication of Seven Pillars of Wisdom, and Revolt in the Desert. Also included in this series are letters by Lawrence written from Clouds Hill, London, Cairo, and India, as well as from Bovington, Cranwell, Plymouth and Southampton.

This series also includes a large number of letters by other people, many of whom knew or worked with Lawrence; among others are Tom W. Beaumont, Sir Sydney Cockerell, Doubleday and Company, Robert Graves, H. Montgomery Hyde, Augustus John, Jonathan Cape (Firm), Eric Kennington, Pat T. Knowles, Basil Liddell Hart, Federic Manning, Robert Payne, Raymond Savage, Charlotte Shaw, Clare Sydney Smith, Ronald Storrs, and Lowell Thomas. There is also a small number of family letters from A.W. Lawrence and M.R. Lawrence.

3. Photographs, Prints, Drawings, Reproductions (Boxes 29-31) are arranged alphabetically by subject. Box 29 contains photographs and prints of Lawrence, as well as of people and places associated with Lawrence, including the Knowles family, Basil and Kathleen Liddell Hart, Clare Sydney Smith, and Clouds Hill. Box 30 contains photographs and negatives of the Carchemish Expedition ([1911-1914]). Box 31 contains original drawings and illustrations by Eric Kennington, Theodora Duncan, and Joan Hassall; also prints and reproductions by Augustus John, William Roberts, and Eric Kennington.

4. Other Scholars Material (Boxes 32-75) is arranged alphabetically by author and title. These boxes contain the manuscripts and correspondence of Lawrence collectors and scholars, which Edwards Metcalf either purchased or received. Included in this series is material from, among others, Doubleday & Co., Theodora Duncan, Phillip Knightley, John Mack, Jeffery Meyers, Desmond Stewart, and Jeremy Wilson; also included are Edwards Metcalf’s Lawrence-related correspondence, bibliographies and lists.

5. Ephemera (Boxes 76-81) is arranged by subject, then alphabetically by author and title. Boxes 76-79 contain photocopies collected by Metcalf for his Lawrence research; these photocopies cannot be copied, reproduced or quoted. Also included in Boxes 79-81, are printed material, book reviews, and clippings.

6. Coin & Fine Art, Manuscript & Rare Book Dealers (Boxes 82-86) are arranged alphabetically by individual name or company name; these boxes are restricted to staff use only. Included in these boxes are provenance, price and sale information for many of Metcalf’s areas of collecting, including Lawrence, Sir Richard Burton, and to a lesser extent, camellias, fine printing and presses, and travel.

Biographical / historical:

Thomas Edward Lawrence was born Aug. 16, 1888, at Tremadoc, North Wales. His parents, Sir John Chapman and Sarah Junner never married, though they lived as “Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence,” for the remainder of their lives. T.E. Lawrence attended City of Oxford High School and Jesus College, where, in 1910, he took first-class honors in history.

Lawrence was an archaeologist, scholar, soldier, and writer. He is probably best known, because of David Lean’s 1962 film, Lawrence of Arabia, for his exploits during the Arab Revolt, 1916- 1917. He published several works, the most important being Seven Pillars of Wisdom (1922 and onwards), and an abridged version entitled, Revolt in the Desert (1927); also, published after his death, The Mint (1936, in a limited edition) and his thesis Crusader Castles (1936-1937).

Lawrence never married and he found life difficult being known as Lawrence of Arabia; in 1922 he enlisted in the R.A.F. as John Hume Ross, but the press discovered his identity in 1923. He then changed his name to T.E. Shaw and spent the next 12 years in different armed services at various postings until his retirement in 1935. After suffering a motorcycle accident near his home, Lawrence died of his injuries on May 21, 1935.

Acquisition information:
Gift of Edwards H. Metcalf, October 1992.
Processing information:

1. T.E. Lawrence signed his letters in many different ways: T.E. Lawrence, T.E., T.E.L., in 1922, J.H. Ross, and in 1923, T.E. Shaw, T.E.S., but his authorized name form was used on the folders and throughout the Finding Aid: T.E. (Thomas Edward) Lawrence, 1888-1935.

2. Because almost the entire collection is about T.E. Lawrence, it was decided not to subject index general references to T.E. Lawrence, though these are noted on the front of the folders; only substantive references and author/title references for his works have been subject indexed.

3. Metcalf also created a Sir Richard Francis Burton collection, so there are letters and Ephemera material concerning Burton; these have all been subject indexed under Burton.

4. The Lawrence collectors and scholars corresponded regularly with and about each other during the years Metcalf was building his Lawrence collection. Therefore, the manuscripts and letters by and to Metcalf, Tom Beaumont, Theodora Duncan, Basil Liddell Hart, H. Montgomery Hyde, John Mack, Jeffrey Meyers, Philip O’Brien and Jeremy Wilson, and others, may be found throughout the collection. It would be necessary to do a key word search of the Finding Aid to locate all of the material for an individual person.

Arrangement:

Organized in the following manner:

  • Manuscripts (Boxes 1-8)
  • Correspondence (Boxes 9-27)
  • Correspondence Oversize (Box 28)
  • Photographs, Drawings, Reproductions (Boxes 29-31)
  • Other Scholars (Boxes 32-75)
  • Ephemera (Boxes 76-81)
  • [RESTRICTED] Coin & Fine Art, Manuscript & Rare Book Dealers (Boxes 82-86)

Arranged alphabetically within series.

Rules or conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, contact Reader Services.

Boxes 82-86 -- Coin & Fine Art, Manuscript & Rare Book Dealers. Restricted to staff use only. These boxes include provenance, price and sale information; please see Container List for an item-level list of contents.

Location of this collection:
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108, US
Contact:
(626) 405-2191
reference@huntington.org
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