Contents lists
Updated June 2012
T. E. Lawrence to Eric Kennington
Amman.
8. XI. 21.
Dear Kennington,
Scott has sent me a note from you, written in the Euston Hotel. It crossed one from me which largely answered it. Also three days hack I got your volume of portraits, with letter. It's very good of you to have sent me that, and they came most timely. The household here is delighted with them. Ghalib is in ecstasies, and all the other subjects are talking about one another. I'm very glad the show was a success, and it's good that it may tour the country. I've asked my bank to pay you £720, which was, I think, our bargain. I want you to cancel it, if you are losing money by it. They say everything sold off, and I don't want to do you out of possibly better prices than the one I paid.
Many thanks for guaranteeing Whittingham & Griggs. I've mislaid their address, and so can't write to them: but when I get back will look them up in the Telephone book and pay them. I hope to have a little money in the new year, and will then carry on with the colour work. Ghalib is V.G.
Your personal news did not surprise me. Of course it makes a muddle, and to that extent is disagreeable. Our social state is at fault in making exceptions to its rules so difficult. It's not right that the individuals should have all these troubles in putting themselves straight. I hope in your case that it will go as well as possible.
You say you are going abroad. I wish I was keeping on here, because this place is getting fit for women now, and it would have been delightful and profitable (how Scotch one gets) to have had you wandering about the country. However I'm due to leave in about a fortnight, and should be in London about December 10. If plans change I'll let you know. Do let me know yours also, so that if possible we can meet somewhere.
Very best of luck in the new effort.
Yours
E.L.
| Source: | DG 336-7 |
| Checked: | jw/ |
| Last revised: | 26 January 2006 |
T. E. Lawrence chronology
1888 16 August: born at Tremadoc, Wales
1896-1907: City of Oxford High School for Boys
1907-9: Jesus College, Oxford, B.A., 1st Class Hons, 1909
1910-14: Magdalen College, Oxford (Senior Demy), while working at the British Museum's excavations at Carchemish
1915-16: Military Intelligence Dept, Cairo
1916-18: Liaison Officer with the Arab Revolt
1919: Attended the Paris Peace Conference
1919-22: wrote Seven Pillars of Wisdom
1921-2: Adviser on Arab Affairs to Winston Churchill at the Colonial Office
1922 August: Enlisted in the Ranks of the RAF
1923 January: discharged from the RAF
1923 March: enlisted in the Tank Corps
1923: translated a French novel, The Forest Giant
1924-6: prepared the subscribers' abridgement of Seven Pillars of Wisdom
1927-8: stationed at Karachi, then Miranshah
1927 March: Revolt in the Desert, an abridgement of Seven Pillars, published
1928: completed The Mint, began translating Homer's Odyssey
1929-33: stationed at Plymouth
1931: started working on RAF boats
1932: his translation of the Odyssey published
1933-5: attached to MAEE, Felixstowe
1935 February: retired from the RAF
1935 19 May: died from injuries received in a motor-cycle crash on 13 May
1935 21 May: buried at Moreton, Dorset