TE LAWRENCE LETTERS TO HENRY WILLIAMSON

“Valedictory note in your last letter premature, I hope: the R.A.F. still keep me on stretch, pretending to discharge me, but hesistating”. Lawrence pormises to visit in the summer – “Devon has lovely bits, but the Exmoor side is ten thousand times better than the S.”

He refers to the joy of a motorbikes and his final machine: “I had a noble ride: Salisbury in 2 hrs, 56 mins: a splendid bike, this one of mine. I slide past Alvisses…”

With the original envelope in Lawrence’s hand

Provenance: Property from the library of a Dorset Gentleman.

Bibliography: TE Lawrence correspondence with Henry Williamson, Russell Hill Press, 2000; Genius of Friendship, ‘T.E. Lawrence’ by Henry Williamson p.56

After T.E. Lawrence wrote to Henry Williamson from India in January 1928 about his book Tarka the Otter which had been published in 1927, the two men began a correspondence and friendship which lasted until Lawrence’s death. They were both very unusual, sensitive men who Williamson himself described as having twin psyches. Their letters were frank, honest and very illuminating and most of their friendship was conducted through their correspondence (they only met twice and very briefly). We have nine of these important letters from T.E. Lawrence to Williamson which date between August 1928 and December 1934, thus documenting most of their relationship. Lawrence died on 19th May 1935.