Gerard Truman Magill MacBryan: correspondence with and about him, and related papers, 1936-1950

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MacBryan joined the Sarawak Government Service in 1920 and became the Rajah's private secretary.

Comprises:

(fols. 1-2) two copies of a letter from the Ranee Sylvia to MacBryan, stating that he had 'wanted a Mohammedan country with a Mohammedan ruler' and advising him not to return to Sarawak, 29 Dec 1936
(fols. 3-4) notes by Bertram Brooke on MacBryan's career from May 1936 to Jan 1937, and a copy of the letter from the Ranee (fol. 1), n.d.
(fol. 5) copy for Bertram Brooke of a letter from MacBryan to London about the Rajah's refusal to allow MacBryan to visit Sarawak and his proposal to litigate, n.d. [Jan 1937?]
(fols. 6-8) copy of confidential letter from MacBryan, referring to the Ranee's letter (fol. 1) and a report sent by him to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, 17 Jan 1937
(fols. 9-10) note by Bertram Brooke and extracts from a letter from the Rajah to Sir Shenton Thomas, Governor of Singapore, about MacBryan, his intrigues among the Malayan (Malaysian) community, and his activities following his return to Sarawak in 1940, 19 Feb 1937
(fols. 11-17) extracts from Apr 1936-Jan 1940 files on MacBryan, n.d.
(fols. 18-19) copy of letter from the Ranee to Bertram Brooke, about the 'MacBryan plot' concerning the Sarawak succession, 8 Jul 1940
(fols. 20-25) two copies of extracts from a letter from Bertram Brooke to the Secretary of State for the Colonies giving detailed account of MacBryan's character and career, 13 Nov 1941
(fols. 26-29) letter from Bertram Brooke to [C.D.] Le Gros Clark about the Sarawak succession and Constitution proposals, with marked passages about MacBryan, 20 Nov 1941
(fols. 30-32) copies of three letters from the Rajah, in Melbourne, about MacBryan's employment as his private secretary, to Pitt-Hardacre, Gascoigne, and Kendal, 3 Apr, 1 and 12 Oct 1942
(fols. 33-35) copy of letter from MacBryan to the Sarawak Government Agent, Millbank, about his own arrest and imprisonment in Jan 1942 on the orders of Sir Shenton Thomas, and his proposal to issue a writ for damages. A note added by Bertram Brooke states 'Answer was 'No Views'', 9 Jul 1944
(fols. 36-38) memorandum [by M. Millard, Sarawak Government Service] about MacBryan's imprisonment and his attempts to persuade Pitt-Hardacre and other officers to clear his name, 30 Aug [1944?]
(fol. 39) letter from MacBryan in Torquay to the Rajah about his proposal that MacBryan should return to Sarawak with him as his private secretary, subject to the approval of the Colonial Office, and comments on Arthur Bryant's article in the Sunday Times, 31 Aug 1945
(fols. 40-41) copy of letter from the Ranee in London to Anthony Brooke about his position in the Sarawak Government, and MacBryan's future post as the Rajah's personal secretary, 8 Sep 1945
(fol. 42) printed copy of the Rajah's appointment of MacBryan as Member of the Supreme Council and of the Council Negri, and Principal Trustees of the Sarawak State Trust Fund, 14 Jan 1946
(fols. 43-48) two copies of the memorandum by Anthony Brooke on 'G.T.M. MacBryan and his connection with Sarawak affairs', circulated to MPs and others, 19 Jan 1946
(fols. 49-51) three letters from MacBryan's brother, J.C.W. MacBryan, one to Bertram Brooke about Gerard's negotiations relating to Cession, and two to Anthony Brooke suggesting a meeting and expressing his total lack of confidence in Gerard and his wish to dissociate himself from his activities, 9, 10 Feb and 8 Oct 1946
(fols. 52-53) copies of extracts from two letters from the Datu Patinggi, about bribes paid by MacBryan to Members of the Supreme Council in return for their signatures, 10 and 12 Feb 1946
(fols. 54-55) note of correspondence, 26 and 28 Mar 1946, between MacBryan and Bertram Brooke, about MacBryan's letter to the Sunday Times and Bertram Brooke's illness, and letter of thanks from MacBryan to Bertram Brooke, 1 Apr 1946
(fol. 56) draft letter to the Sunday Times [from Anthony Brooke?] about the sums of money paid by MacBryan to four Datus (local leaders), 30 May 1946
(fols. 57-59) memorandum by F. Pollard about a meeting of the Council Negri, convened by MacBryan in Jan 1946, when sums of money were given to four Datus (local leaders) and the Constitution of 1941 was repealed, 5 Jun 1946
(fol. 60) letter from Bertram Brooke to W.C. Crocker about MacBryan's libel action and the possibility that the Rajah might pay him to call the case off, 30 Jun 1946
(fols. 61-62) two copies of extract from a letter from Mrs Bewsher to Mrs Pollard about Brigadier Eastwick's remarks on MacBryan's visit to Sarawak, n.d.
(fols. 63-66) three copies of letter from MacBryan in Johannesburg to Anthony Brooke, giving his reasons for proposing to discontinue the libel action, and a copy of Anthony Brooke's reply raising the question of costs, 10 Aug and 21 Sep 1949
(fol. 68) signed copy of letter from Anthony Brooke to MacBryan about the procedure for settling the action, 19 Oct 1946
(fols. 69-71) two letters from J.C.W. MacBryan to Anthony Brooke about the possible mental illness of his brother, 17 and 20 Feb 1950
(fols. 72-74) letter from MacBryan in hospital to Anthony Brooke, about claims for compensation in connection with the action; also about the Sarawak State Fund and the Rajah's Dependants Order, 14 Mar 1950
(fols. 75-76) copy of letter from the Rajah to MacBryan and of letter of introduction to [Sir Anthony] Abell, Governor of Sarawak, 19-20 Apr 1950
(fols. 77-78) letter from MacBryan to Anthony Brooke, with a statement for the press about his visit to Sarawak in connection with the Trust Fund, and one to Bertram Brooke about the Rajah's wish to dissociate himself from the issue, 24 Apr 1950
(fol. 79) Reuter message about MacBryan and the Sarawak State Trust Fund, 25 Apr 1950
(fols. 80-82) letter from W.C. Crocker to Anthony Brooke about the payment by the Crown Agents of taxed costs payable by MacBryan on withdrawal of his libel action, with photostat of Taxing Master's Certificate dated 20 Jul 1950, 8 Sep 1950.