#te shaw

[nerdyhistoryenjoyer]

Timely meme dump

[inesk-art]

I'm very sorry, I don't have any time or brain right now for personal illustrations just for fun. I just got a new comic book out (and had to do a lot of stuff for it) and I have to finish a novel while slowly getting cooked in a flat without air con. I'm so sorry if I still haven't answered that message or mail örks. That being said I had to do something very quick cause I found this quote concerning Roger Casement (TE wanted to write a book about him) very amusing for.... reasons: "[...] and I am only 46, able, probably, to wait for years: and very detemined to make England ashamed of itself, if I can." (Letter to Charlotte Shaw)

[eli-artsblog]

Around Bridlington harbour.

[clouds-hill]

TE in the style of a monumental brass rubbing

Extremely enjoyable project, I really enjoy taking three dimensional objects and expressing then in as few clean lines as possible (it's the background in archaeological illustration I think) and monumental brasses (and imitation brasses in my case) do that well. And it's big! Almost two feet tall, I love big art! (I am also tempted to do a later RAF version but I have some other stuff to work on first)

(I'm also currently attempting to Post On Instagram again, we'll see how long it lasts)

[broughinferior]

A photograph of T.E. Lawrence, c.1918, which seems --from my sources anyway-- to be a lesser-seen companion image to the one of him seated in front of the same backdrop. // This sepia-toned version is the back cover to Lawrence of Arabia & Middle East Air Power, Cross and Cockade International, 2016.

Of particular interest in this photo (and also the second one, below) is the petite gold jambiya, attached to Lawrence’s belt. This was apparently T.E.’s most treasured dagger, its commission was even overseen by King Hussein himself. Furthermore, it was the replacement for a more uncomfortable and larger silver gilt version which had been presented to him by Sherif Nasir, in itself as a replacement for an even earlier weapon—a gift from the Emir Abdullah—which Lawrence had given to a Howeitat chief!

“In July 1917 Lawrence had to visit Jidda for discussions with Sherif Hussein, and he seems to have made a secret journey to Mecca specifically to order this gold dagger. He had it made ‘in the third little turning to the left off the main bazaar, by an old Nejdi goldsmith whose name I fancy was Gasein.’* The dagger was especially small because Lawrence found a full-size weapon too cumbersome. He wore it for the rest of the war except when it was being repaired or re-belted. The story that this dagger and its scabbard were made from melted-down coins is probably no more than popular conjecture. In 1923 Lawrence sold the dagger for £125 to Lionel Curtis who later presented it to All Souls College. Lawrence used the money to repair his newly-rented cottage at Clouds Hill.”

Extract from T.E. Lawrence, National Portrait Gallery, Jeremy Wilson, 1988. p. 88. // *You can find the full letter from T.E. quoted in The Letters of T.E. Lawrence, David Garnett, 1938. No. 309, pp. 518-519.

The second image, below, is from the IWM.

On April 16th 1928, he wrote to E.M. Forster: 'Clouds Hill was floored and roofed out of the sale of my golden Mecca dagger!'

The Letters of T.E. Lawrence, David Garnett, 1938. No. 352, pp. 593-4.

Below, a close-up of the golden dagger now held at All Souls College, Oxford. I may be alone in finding these details particularly interesting, but the length of the belt is listed as '78.5' which I presume is centimeters. In inches that would be around a 30-31" waist. Bearing in mind that T.E. was not only wearing this belt over at least a few folds of fabric, but that he was, beneath the layers, extremely slender. So the belt measurements are likely to have been larger than his true waist size in order to accommodate material. (It is also likely that the belt is not the original, or may even have been altered at a later date for display on a mannequin - this is all supposition on my part.)

Image from T.E. Lawrence, National Portrait Gallery, Jeremy Wilson, 1988. p. 88.

Ten months later, writing to author Lionel Curtis on 22nd February 1929, T.E. discusses this change of jambiya: 'I wore it for some weeks around Akaba until Dagger II arrived from Mecca [...] a heavy thing and I discarded it with pleasure for the gold one I wore for the rest of the war.'

The only sources I have for this excerpt are tertiary. It might be in Garnett's 'Selected Letters' which I do not own, but understand that in this, two extra letters to Curtis are included (there are only five in the 1938 compilation!). The original letter I believe is at All Souls.

Finally, I also felt compelled to share this. I was convinced that I had seen the first photo in another format. And here it is (right) courtesy of the Australian War Memorial website. I cropped it slightly so it would fit in the frame, but it is very clear that T.E. has been superimposed into the foreground!

[mybrainwontcooperate]

[rebellionbeach]

I had the opportunity to visit Plymouth and was very fortunate to come across all the little TE markings across town.

It's a bit unfortunate the state of abandon the RAF monument is currently in, but it really is a beautiful little memento to the area's past and a certain someone's legacy in the area.

(I didn't place the flowers they were already there, a really sweet touch!)

I didn't realize there was another signpost that went more in-depth regarding the area's motorized boat history situated only a few meters away. This one seems a bit newer with nice B&W photos that are only a bit yellowed with time.

Mount Batten tower is an absolutely gorgeous medieval tower to behold. The general diversity of flora around Plymouth is beautiful, but I found this patch of light pink flowers on the slope of the tower's hill to make quite a nice shot. Quite the surreal thought to think that he might've been staring at the same site throughout his time in the area...

Finally, in remembrance of the shared history with him, they named two streets that conveniently convene at a roundabout. The area really is mostly upper-class, retired houses/condos so I'm not sure what he would actually think about it but I thought it was cute. Definitely wasn't a nuisance trying to stand in the middle of a roundabout to take a good shot...

There was also a magnificent used bookstore nearby. I read some reviews in advance that talked about a cantankerous owner, but he was a very nice and informative man from my experience.

It really is such a beautiful Elizabethan building full of a wonderful selection, but I was able to get a few readings including a compact 1945 print edition of 7 Pillars that had this incredible documents from a 1935 Plymouth newspaper right after his death...I swear this should be in a museum or something.

Plymouth is really a lovely town and I feel myself very fortunate to visit a place that intertwined with TE at such an interesting time of his life.

[pacipinka]

Let it be known I will be drawing over these pics these r just placeholders

Which ver do we go with

1 (You speak to me of bloodshed?)

2 (Garlands for the conqueror flowers for the man)

3(a secret third option u put in the tags)

Voting ended onDec 1, 2024