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BROOKE papers: verses by Sir James Brookes, copies of letters, and papers related to the succession dispute, c. 1830, 1847-1866, 1969

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Shelfmark: MSS. Pac. s. 90/1
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Folder 1:

Verses by (Sir) James Brooke, some relating to C.T.C. Grant ('Hoddy Doddy') when serving as midshipman in HMS Agincourt, c. 1830, 1847-1848:

  1. (fol. 1) note by Charles Grant referring to 'Poetry - all by the Rajah but one' (see fols. 33-34), n.d.
  2. (fols. 2-4) 'In boyhood days...', c. 1830 [dated thus by Charles Grant]
  3. (fols. 5-8) 'Oh! Grandmama...', n.d.
  4. (fols. 9-13) 'H... D... 's Last - A satire... Oh! my Granny...' (with copy), Feb 1847
  5. (fols. 14-18) 'To my Midshipmen Friends in HMS Agincourt: My Eyes: ...' (with copy), 1847
  6. (fols. 19-24) 'The Doddy catches it from Pimples...' (with copy): Singapore, 1848
  7. (fol. 25) 'The Abandonment.', n.d.
  8. (fols. 26-30) 'Indian Fragments': eight verses, with a note added by Charles Grant stating that 'there were 37 verses', n.d.
  9. (fols. 31-32) 'The Statesman pulls the String...', n.d.
  10. (fols. 33-34) 'The death of Budrudeen', by Peggy Colehurst, Dripsey Castle, Cork, Ireland, n.d.

Folder 2:

Extracts from and copies of letters from Sir James Brooke to various correspondents (references are given to the originals where these occur in the present Collection), 1852-1862:

  1. (fols. 1-2) letter to Charles Steward [trading partner of Sir James Brooke's agent in London, Henry Wise] about papers connected with dissolving the partnership, 15 Apr 1852
  2. (fol. 3) 'Extracts from Letter to Henry Drummond Esquire, M.P., contained in a pamphlet published under the title 'A Vindication of his Character and Proceedings in reply to the statements privately printed and circulated by Joseph Hume Esquire, MP By Sir James Brooke'.' (See printed booklet, pp. 47 et seq., in MSS. Pac. s. 90/3, folder 1, item 4.), [1853]
  3. (fols. 4-5) letter to J.C. Templer, copy of letter dictated to Charles Grant, about his own severe attack of smallpox; Templer's Mastership [in the Court of Exchequer]; a friendly letter from Lord Grey; the hostile spirit of the government [regarding the Commission of Enquiry]; the 'touching tokens of kindly feeling' shown during his illness by the local inhabitants; and plans for his mountain house at Peninjauh, 28 Jun 1853
  4. (fols. 6-7) letter to Templer about his return to Sarawak; his public explanation of the proceedings of the Commission; his feelings towards Hume, Wise, and the British Government; and the advance of Christianity among indigenous peoples, 27 Dec 1854
  5. (fols. 8-15) letter to Templer, questioning the Eastern Archipelago Company's plans for developing the country, and their application for a fresh Charter; the need for the purchase of a steamer, whose services would be an 'incalculable advantage'; the slow progress of the Bill in Chancery filed by Wise against Sir James, and his own Cross Bill; an excellent article by Miss Martineau, and her good opinion of himself; the need for 'two young gentlemen' for the Sarawak Service, the qualities required and terms offered; the part taken against Sir James by Lord Albemarle, Colonel Bernard, and Cobden, as well as Hume; grief at the death of Frank Grant, and the probable loss of Charles Grant should he decide to go home; distrust of Henderson, and his absurd proposals concerning developing the resources of Sarawak; and further instructions about a steamer, 6-10 Jan 1855
  6. (fols. 16-21) letter to John Grant (see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 16, fols. 417-419) and copy of part of Grant's letter to Sir James about John Brooke Brooke's engagement to Annie Grant (see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 12, fols. 176-178), 2 Jun and 9 Jul 1856
  7. (fols. 22-31) letter to John Grant (three copies), in reply to the above (see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 4, fols. 420-425), 7 Oct 1856
  8. (fols. 32-35) 'Extracts from Rajah's letters' written after the Chinese Insurrection, Feb and 15 Mar 1857
  9. (fols. 36-43) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 1, fols. 209-213, 9 Apr 1857
  10. (fols. 44-48) letter to Lord Clarendon (two copies) on the future position of Sarawak, and suggesting three ways in which support might be given by England, 3 Feb 1858
  11. (fols. 49-50) letter to Lord Grey, giving reasons for desiring a Protectorate, and proposing that England should repay the sum that he had laid out in developing Sarawak, 11 Feb 1858
  12. (fol. 51) letter to Lord Derby about the report in The Times of Derby's reception of the deputation [of Merchants and other prominent citizens] formed to give an opinion on the subject of Sarawak, and stating his dissent from the views expressed by Derby, 4 Dec 1858
  13. (fol. 52) letter to Thomas Fairbairn about a letter sent to Lord Derby, 7 Dec 1858
  14. (fols. 53-56) letter to John Grant (see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 4, fols. 505-508), 16 Dec 1858
  15. (fols. 57-58) letter to W. Seymour Fitzgerald, replying to his letter about the government's consideration of the proposal for a Protectorate, and giving a statement concerning the rights of the people of Sarawak and his own position as their chosen Ruler, 15 Jan 1859
  16. (fols. 59-61) letter to W. Seymour Fitzgerald, giving a summary in explanation of the propositions made on the part of Sarawak, 25 Jan 1859
  17. (fol. 62) letter to A.A. Knox [Foreign Office] about Sir James's wish to retire from public life if the Testimonial were successful, and his intention to resign the Raj of Sarawak to John Brooke Brooke, 17 Mar 1859
  18. (fols. 63-67) letter to Charles Johnson (see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 1, fols. 332-335), 8 Aug 1859
  19. (fols. 68-69) letter to Templer about the Borneo Company, the current account of ore, and the position regarding the Labuan coal mines, 3 Jan 1860
  20. (fols. 70-74) correspondence with Archdeacon Sinclair, Rev. W.T. Bullock, and Rev. Ernest Hawkins, Society for the Propagation of the Gospel (SPG), about Bishop McDougall's statement, published by the Society, that the Dyak communities were called out 'to fight and take heads'; also extracts from J[ohn] Abel] Smith's letters about favourable progress regarding the government's attitude to Sir James's interests, 5 Nov-16 Dec 1862.

Folder 3:

Manuscript copies of letters from Sir James Brooke to J. Brooke Brooke, 1858-1861. References are given to the original letters, in MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vols 2 and 3:

  1. (fols. 1-6) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 2, fols. 189-192, 17 and 20 May 1858
  2. (fol. 7) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 2, fols. 274-275, 11 Mar 1859
  3. (fols. 8-9) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 2, fols. 276-279, 11 Mar 1859
  4. (fol. 10) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 2, fol. 280. The original letter is incomplete and the copy contains an additional passage, about an encouraging report received from Charles [Johnson], n.d.
  5. (fols. 11-12) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 2, fols. 327-330, [May 1859?]
  6. (fols. 13-14) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 2, fols. 386-389, 23 Jun 1859
  7. (fols. 15-16) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 2, fols. 461-466, 12 Aug 1859
  8. (fols. 17-18) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 2, fols. 473-478, 17 Aug 1859
  9. (fols. 19-22) (two copies) See MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 2, fols. 565-567, 5 Nov 1859
  10. (fol. 23) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 2, fols. 568-569, 10 Nov 1859
  11. (fol. 24) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 3, fols. 17-18, 9 Jan 1860
  12. (fols. 25-27) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 3, fols. 23-29, 10 Jan 1860
  13. (fols. 28-30) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 3, fols. 30-35, 11 Jan 1860
  14. (fols. 31-32) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 3, fols. 49-50, 14 Jan 1860
  15. (fol. 33) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 3, fols. 72-73, 19 Jan 1860
  16. (fols. 34-37) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 3, fols. 90-97, 24 Jan 1860
  17. (fols. 38-40) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 3, fols. 213-218, 5 Sep 1861.

Folder 4:

Typed copies of 19 letters from Sir James Brooke to J. Brooke Brooke, 6 Sep 1862-14 Feb 1866, with a list by Admiral Basil Brooke indicating contents, and some manuscript corrections and annotations. References are given below to the original letters in MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 3:

  1. (fols. 1-2) list and note by Basil Brooke, n.d.
  2. (fols. 3-7) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 3, fols. 333-336, 6 Sep 1862
  3. (fols. 8-13) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 3, fols. 341-344, 25 Sep 1862
  4. (fols. 14-17) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 3, fols. 371-374, [9?] and 10 Dec 1862
  5. (fols. 18-21) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 3, fols. 375-379, 17 Dec 1862
  6. (fols. 22-24) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 3, fols. 380-382, 23 Dec 1862
  7. (fols. 25-26) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 3, fols. 383-386, 5 Jan 1863
  8. (fols. 27-29) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 3, fols. 387-390, 7 Jan 1863
  9. (fols. 30-31) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 3, fols. 391-393, 26 Feb 1863
  10. (fol. 32) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 3, fols. 394-396, 26 Feb 1863
  11. (fol. 33) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 3, fols. 397-398, 28 Feb 1863
  12. (fol. 34) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 3, fols. 399-400, 6 Aug 1863
  13. (fol. 35) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 3, fols. 401-402, 11 Jul 1865
  14. (fol. 36) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 3, fols. 403-404, 13 Jul 1865
  15. (fol. 37) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 3, fols. 405-406, 28 Jul 1865
  16. (fol. 38) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 3, fol. 407, 28 Oct 1865
  17. (fol. 39) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 3, fols. 408-409, 16 Nov 1865
  18. (fol. 40) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 3, fols. 410-411, 7 Dec 1865
  19. (fol. 41) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 3, fols. 412-413, 8 Feb 1866
  20. (fol. 42) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 3, fols. 414-415, 14 Feb 1866.

Folder 5:

  1. (fols. 1-142) carbon copies (two or more in most cases) of typescripts in folder 4 above, some with corrections and annotations, as well as a list compiled by Admiral Basil Brooke, and a note by him dated 26 Feb 1969, with an additional note by Mrs Margaret Noble (fols. 1 and 2). Copies are included of seven letters (fols. 35-55) that do not appear in folder 4; see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 3, fols. 345-367, for the originals, 6 Sep 1862-14 Feb 1866.

Folder 6:

Copies of letters from J. Brooke Brooke to Sir James Brooke, 22 Jan 1860-14 Feb 1866, mostly typed with several copies and manuscript corrections and annotations, as well as two lists by Basil Brooke. References are given below to the original letters in MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 5:

  1. (fols. 1-2) lists (incomplete) by Admiral Basil Brooke, indicating the contents of some of the letters, n.d.
  2. (fols. 3-4) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 5, fols. 296-299, 22 Jan 1860
  3. (fols. 5-6) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 5, fols. 306-312, 30 Jan 1860
  4. (fols. 7-25) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 5, fols. 444-451, 27 and 29 May 1862
  5. (fols. 26-41) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 5, fols. 452-457, 29 Jun 1862
  6. (fols. 42-46) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 5, fols. 458-464, 11 Jul 1862
  7. (fols. 47-50) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 5, fols. 465-469, 26 Jul 1862
  8. (fols. 51-80) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 5, fols. 470-479. A copy of a letter of the same date from John Brooke Brooke to Bishop McDougall is included, fols. 58-59: for the original letter, see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 7, fols. 171-176, 21 Aug 1862
  9. (fols. 81-93) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 5, fols. 480-483. The second half of the letter, following the pencilled cross on fol. 82, has been incorrectly included in the typescript: it is in fact part of a letter dated 23 Jan 1863 (see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 5, fols. 500-501). A copy of this passage in Admiral Brooke's hand is included here (fol. 84), 13 Sep 1862
  10. (fols. 94-101) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 5, fols. 484-487, 3 Oct 1862
  11. (fols. 102-104) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 5, fols. 488-491, 26 Oct 1862
  12. (fols. 105-121) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 5, fols. 492-494, 14 Nov 1862
  13. (fols. 122-129) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 5, fols. 495-497, 3 Dec 1862
  14. (fols. 130-132) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 5, fols. 498-502. The second half of this copy is in fact part of the letter dated 13 Sep 1862, see above, fols. 81-93, [23 Jan 1863]
  15. (fols. 133-136) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 5, fols. 503-504, 6 Feb 1863 [?]
  16. (fols. 137-140) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 5, fols. 505-506, 26 Feb 1863 [?]
  17. (fols. 141-148) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 5, fols. 507-508, 27 Feb 1863
  18. (fols. 149-152) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 5, fols. 509-510, 1 Mar 1863
  19. (fols. 153-156) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 5, fols. 511-512, 2 Mar 1863
  20. (fols. 157-160) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 5, fols. 513-516, 8 May 1863
  21. (fols. 161-164) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 5, fols. 517-518, 8 Jul 1865
  22. (fol. 165) see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 5, fols. 529-530, 14 Feb 1866.

Folder 7:

Papers prepared for Counsel's Opinion concerning the claims of J. Brooke Brooke and his heirs to the Sarawak succession (see also MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 9, fols. 343-350, and MSS. Pac. s. 90/3, folder 6, item 5), n.d.:

  1. (fols. 1-5) manuscript copy, 'Extracts of letters', 14 Sep 1845-5 Sep 1861: text set out in double columns, the first containing extracts from Sir James Brooke's letters to J. Brooke Brooke and his parents, and some notes to support statements in the second column, summarising 'the position of Mr Brooke as Rajah Muda of Sarawak'. The original letter from which the first extract is taken (see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 2, fols. 5-6) bears the date 14 Oct, n.d. [1863]
  2. (fols. 6-26) manuscript copy, 'Extracts of letters', 14 Sep 1845-5 Sep 1861: 'Statement... drawn up to explain the causes' (fol. 7), which led to the breach between Sir James Brooke and his nephew, tracing the history of their association during the 16 years John Brooke Brooke spent in the service of Sarawak. The final paragraph (the end of which is missing but included in the second copy; see below, fol. 54) sums up John Brooke Brooke's views on the Cession of Sarawak, his demand 'as an act of common justice that his own rights and position' should be admitted, and his wish to submit his claims to 'the arbitrament of any impartial English Gentleman competent to judge' and so to avoid publication of matter affecting the reputation and character of Sir James, n.d. [1863]
  3. (fols. 27-54) copy of fols. 6-26, with the complete final paragraph, n.d.
  4. (fols. 55-156) manuscript memorandum without heading, beginning 'In 1857 Sir James Brooke returned to England from Sarawak in broken health'. It is concerned with Sir James's intention to resign Sarawak in favour of John Brooke Brooke, the Testimonial raised in this connection, and the negotiations with the British Government and other powers. It includes copies of much correspondence, chiefly letters from Sir James. The last letter quoted is from Mrs McDougall, wife of Bishop McDougall, dated 4 Sep 1863, about Sir James's behaviour following his return to Sarawak. The final paragraph refers to the farewell complimentary address presented to Sir James and signed by all the Sarawak officers save one, Robert Hay, who 'lost his appointment because he would not sign'. There are pencilled annotations in various hands, one (fol. 99) initialled 'John Brooke Brooke', n.d.
  5. (fols. 157-170) 'Extracts & Notes' compiled by Charles Grant, with remarks made by him 'solely in justification of Brooke', covering the years 1845 to 1863. His object in making the 'synopsis' was not to urge Hope Brooke's claims to the succession, though he was 'undoubtedly the proper heir', but to show that 'some recognition surely should be made' (fol. 169), n.d.
  6. (fols. 171-178) unsigned manuscript memorandum: 'Facts' taken from John Brooke Brooke's pamphlet [A Statement regarding Sarawak] and Pioneering in the Far East [by L.V. Helms], giving the chronology of events 1841-1868, n.d.
  7. (fols. 179-182) unsigned manuscript memorandum: 'Evidence' as gathered from 'Facts': notes concerning Sir James Brooke's intention that John Brooke Brooke should succeed him, his intention to abdicate in John Brooke Brooke's favour, and his disinheritance of John Brooke Brooke, n.d.
  8. (fols. 183-184) unsigned manuscript memorandum: 'Points' [addressed to Hope Brooke] about John Brooke Brooke's position as 'actual Rajah', the behaviour of 'the old Rajah' regarding the succession, and queries about entries in the official accounts of Sarawak, n.d.

Dates

  • Creation: c. 1830, 1847-1866, 1969

Extent

7 folders

Language of Materials

  • English

Shelfmark

MSS. Pac. s. 90/1

Repository Details

Repository Details

Part of the Bodleian Libraries Repository

https://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/weston
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