BROOKE papers: Miscellaneous papers, including pamphlets published by Sir James Brooke, J. Brooke Brooke and Charles Brooke, 1847-1977
Folder 1:
Miscellaneous papers relating to Sir James Brooke, 1847-1859:
- (item 1) 'Mr Brooke and Borneo': reprint from the 5th Number of the Colonial Church Chronicle about the formation of the Borneo Church Mission, pp. 11, Nov 1847
- (item 2) map of the 'Coast of Borneo Proper', showing the course taken by Captain G. Rodney Mundy in HMS Iris (names of rivers furnished by James Brooke), and (inset) 'Capture of the City of Bruné by Rear Admiral Sir Thomas Cochrane, C.B., Jul 8th 1846', 1848
- (item 3) Sir James Brooke v. the Eastern Archipelago Company: printed copy of the Judgments of the Queen's Bench, together with two articles from The Times on the merits of the case, pp. 97, 1853
- (item 4) 'A Vindication of his character and proceedings in reply to the statements privately printed and circulated by Joseph Hume, Esq., M.P., addressed to Henry Drummond, Esq., MP, by Sir James Brooke, KCB, Rajah of Sarawak' (London, 1853): pamphlet, pp. 62, published in reply to Hume's pamphlet containing the charges he had made against Sir James concerning action taken for the suppression of 'piracy'. 'A Vindication' is in the form of four letters and a note, and the copy is inscribed in Sir James's hand to his brother-in-law Rev. Charles Johnson, 1853
- (item 5) 'Correspondence between Joseph Hume, Esq., MP, Lord Aberdeen, Lord Wodehouse, and Sir James Brooke': folded sheets stitched together, with manuscript copies of letters written after the publication of 'A Vindication', about what appeared to Hume as a discrepancy between Sir James's deposition of 1849 and a statement in 'A Vindication', Mar 1853
- (item 6) Brooke, K.C.B., v. [Henry] Wise, Bill of Complaint, pp. 197-198 only, n.d.
- (items 7-10) circular about the proposed Testimonial for Sir James (two copies), and a second circular giving names of the Committee (one copy and extract), [1859].
Folder 2:
Notes and memoranda by Sir James Brooke and J. Brooke Brooke about pecuniary rights and claims, 1861-1864:
- (fols. 1-4) note made at Labuan by Sir James Brooke about the 'pecuniary rights' of himself ('A', the ruler of the state) and 'B, his acknowledged heir', referring to the sum of money from his own private fortune expended to advance the welfare of Sarawak, 27 Aug 1861
- (fols. 5-8) manuscript note (unsigned) about the pecuniary rights of (1) the Rajah Tuah, and (2) the Rajah Muda, who sold his Commission and devoted the proceeds to Sarawak in the belief that he would inherit the country unburdened by the debt of the Rajah, which was not mentioned as a debt until 1853, n.d.
- (fols. 9-10) 'My Justification' [by John Brooke Brooke]: manuscript memorandum, set out in double columns with extracts from letters alongside statements, about the 'dispute in 1861 between A [Sir James Brooke] and B [John Brooke Brooke] as to whether A had a right to transfer the debt of S[arawak] to a foreign State'; the Memorandum [by St John] shown to John Brooke Brooke by C [Colonel Cavenagh]; John Brooke Brooke's own Memorandum to the British Government 'setting forth the real difficulties of a transfer of S to the Crown', and his justification for taking this step, n.d.
- (fols. 11-23) 'Memorandum No. 1' [by Sir James Brooke] stating the case against John Brooke Brooke, beginning with 'A brief preliminary explanation' of events from 1858, including extracts from fols. 1-4 above, and referring to the Order in Council of 25 Apr 1863 (see folder 5 below). Marginal annotations in another hand support John Brooke Brooke's case, n.d. [1863?]
- (item 1) printed pages 1-30 stitched together, entitled 'Correspondence', compiled by Sir James Brooke with the object of refuting John Brooke Brooke's claim to be Rajah of Sarawak 'by a narrative of the events as they occurred' from Oct 1858, quoting from correspondence with John Brooke Brooke, as well as with Charles Brooke, Thomas Fairbairn, J. Abel Smith, A.C. Crookshank, and J. Cruickshank, n.d. [1864?]
- (item 2) manuscript copy (pp. 16-25) of pp. 19-30 of item 1 above. (The Malay version of the letter from Council Members to John Brooke Brooke, transcribed in English on p. 16 of this manuscript, is in MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 16, fols. 152-153, with a note added by Charles Grant: 'Pretended communication from the Sarawak Council'), n.d.
Folder 3:
Miscellaneous papers, 1862-1864:
- (item 1) 'The Borneo Pirates' by C[harles] J[ohnson] B[rooke], p. 7: pamphlet published in vindication of Bishop McDougall's action in the Rainbow engagement in May 1862 against the Illanun 'pirates', 25 Nov 1862
- (item 2) commission signed by William, Earl of Lovelace, appointing John Brooke Brooke Captain in the First Regiment of Militia raised in the County of Surrey, 3 Aug 1864
- (item 3) 'Sarawak Anthem', words and music, manuscript copy, n.d.
Folder 4:
Lease to the Borneo Company Limited of the minerals of Sarawak, 1856, 1863:
- (fols. 1-2) letter from a lawyer in Singapore (signature illegible) to John Brooke Brooke in reply to his enquiry about his rights under the lease in the event of Sarawak becoming a British Colony, asking John Brooke Brooke to send a statement of his position in relation to the Rajah and the Government of Sarawak, 15 Jan 1863
- (fols. 3-4) 'Exparte J.B. Brooke Esqre': copy of Case and Opinion of Charles B. Locock concerning the lease, 28 Jul 1863
- (fols. 5-6) note by Templer about the execution of the lease that had been negotiated on 8 Apr 1856 between Sir James Brooke and John Brooke Brooke as Co-lessors in consequence of John Brooke Brooke's interest 'as heir presumptive of the Sarawak Government', n.d.
Folder 5:
(fols. 1-6) Proceedings of the Sarawak Supreme Council, 25 Apr and 4 Aug 1863: Copies of the Orders in Council, sent to John Brooke Brooke on the command of the Rajah, with a covering letter dated 12 Jun 1863 from W.H. Rodway, Clerk of the Council. The Orders contain the Rajah's decrees:
- that John Brooke Brooke should forfeit the rank, title, and privileges of Rajah Muda
- that he should be banished from the territory.
Folder 6:
- (items 1-4) A Statement regarding Sarawak by J. Brooke Brooke, Esq., Rajah Muda of Sarawak: three printed copies, the first (pp. 29) marked 'Most private' and endorsed by Charles Grant, the other two (pp. 34) containing revised and additional text: all are annotated. Also a manuscript copy of the first version, pp. 1-22, 1863
- (items 5-6) reprint in pamphlet form (pp. 14) of article from the Singapore Straits Times, 5 Oct 1863, about John Brooke Brooke's Statement regarding Sarawak, together with a reply by him: two copies, [1864?].
Folder 7:
- (fols. 1-4) notes by John Brooke Brooke about loans made by him in 1853 and 1855 (£500 to Sir James Brooke and £1,000 to the Sarawak Treasury) and not repaid, referring to entries in his father's bank book and diary and to correspondence with banks, including a letter from Ransom Bouverie & Co dated 21 Jan 1865, n.d.
Folder 8:
Printed material and a report, 1868-1932:
- (fols. 1-3 and item 1) copies of four letters from (Sir) Charles Brooke to Edward Sinclair, appointing him Assistant Resident and later Resident of Bintulu, and thanking him for his conduct during the Mukah disaster and against the Lanun 'pirates'; and a copy of the Edinburgh Academy Chronicle, Apr 1909, with an obituary notice of Sinclair (p. 97), 23 Jun 1868-1 Jun 1873; 1909
- (item 2) report, from Bangkok, by [...] Alabaster to [Robert] Hay, about his journey to Singora (Songkhla) and the tin districts, undertaken at the suggestion of John Fisher of the Galena Company, Singapore, and financed by a loan from the Borneo Company, Sep 1872
- (items 3-5) 'Some Correspondence relative to An Account of the Rajah Sir Jas. Brooke, by G.L. J[acob], in The Monthly Packet, Parts 92-104': three copies of pamphlet, pp. 11, containing correspondence, 14 Sep-7 Oct 1874, between Paul F. Tidman and the Editor and a letter from Miss Jacob to Tidman (see also MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 16, fols. 78-79), n.d.
- (item 6) extract from Pioneering in the Far East (Chapter IV) by L.V. Helms (pp. 1-60), containing references to 'the dispute between ... Rajah Brooke and his nephew, Captain Brooke', 1882
- (item 7) 'Sketches in Borneo', by the Rev. A. Horsburgh, late Missionary in Sarawak (pp. 1-46), dedicated to Lady Lucy Grant, 1888
- (item 8) 'The Alternative: A Treatise directed against Evil generally and Red Propaganda in particular': pamphlet (8 pages) inscribed by the author to Hope Brooke, 25 Jul 1932, 1932.
Folder 9:
Press cuttings and reprints about Sarawak, 1857-1919:
- (fols. 1-25) press cuttings about the Chinese insurrection of Feb 1857, with eye-witness accounts and editorial comment, from the following newspapers: Bridport News, Daily News, Examiner, Friend of India, Illustrated London News, Morning Post, People, Straits Times, Sun, and The Times. Sir James Brooke's letter of 15 Mar, published in The Times, is included (fol. 4), and Miss Woolley's of 17 Mar (fol. 6), [15?] Mar-30 Jun 1857
- (fols. 26-32) reprint from The Times about the public dinner in Manchester given to Sir James Brooke and his speech proposing that England should grant Sarawak a protectorate; and cuttings from the Chester Courant, Examiner, and Yorkshireman, giving the commercial view of his proposals and referring to his speeches concerning missionary work, 23 Apr-13 Oct 1858
- (fols. 33-34) biographical note on Sir James Brooke with portrait and sketch of his bungalow 'near Sarawak': Illustrated News of the World, 11 Dec 1858
- (fol. 35) an account of 'the Muka incident' and Mr Edwardes's behaviour: Singapore Free Press, [1860]
- (fols. 36-38) Straits Times Overland Journal (copy addressed to John Brooke Brooke) with article reprinted from the Straits Times, 5 Oct, about the quarrel between 'Mr Brooke and the Rajah of Sarawak' (see above, folder 6, item 5), 7 Oct 1863
- (fols. 39-44) cuttings concerning (Sir) Charles Brooke: (1) reviews of his book Ten Years in Sarawak (1866), from the Tablet and Globe; (2) the export of opium from Sarawak in 1913, Singapore Free Press; and (3) economic development of Sarawak under Sir Charles's rule, 1914, The Times, 1866; 1913-1914
- (fol. 45) cutting about the establishment in England of the Sarawak State Advisory Council, giving details of Sir Charles Brooke's Proclamation, listing the first members and defining the duties of the Council, with a note on Sarawak's history and resources: Morning Post (See MSS. Pac. s. 83 Vols. 4-9 for volumes I-VI of correspondence of the Council, 1912-1919), 7 Dec 1912
- (fols. 46-51) reviews of My Life in Sarawak by the Ranee Margaret, in The Times Literary Supplement and Daily Express, p. 4, 13 and 21 Nov 1913
- (fol. 52) cutting from Toronto newspapers of the claim of Mr E. Brooke Daykin to be 'the rightful son and heir' of Sir Charles Brooke, n.d.
- (fols. 53-61) cuttings of South East Asian interest, from the Friend of India, Overland China Mail, Straits Guardian, Straits Times and The Times, 21 Mar 1857-6 Feb 1919.
Folder 10:
Copies of letters about the Brooke family from Admiral Basil Brooke to Mrs Margaret Noble, and of the opening pages of her monograph on J. Brooke Brooke (in preparation), 1969-1977:
- (fol. 1) letter from Admiral Brooke about Hope Brooke and his life after he left Sarawak as a young child; also about the later history of Kilgraston (family home of the Grant family), and of Archerfield and Biel, estates inherited by Colonel Patrick Grant and bequeathed to Admiral Brooke, his cousin, 2 Sep 1969
- (fols. 2-3) letter from Admiral Brooke about the 'Heirloom Cup', a silver bowl said to have been found much damaged outside the Rajah's house after the Chinese insurrection of 1857, with a rough sketch, 2 Apr 1970
- (fols. 4-7) letter from Admiral Brooke about Admiral Brooke's own wartime experience in the Mediterranean in HMS Southampton, 22 Jan 1971
- (fols. 8-15) four letters from Admiral Brooke about characteristics of the Brooke family, mentioning Thomas Brooke, Rev. F.C. Johnson, Sir James Brooke, J. Brooke Brooke, Hope Brooke, Admiral Brooke's son Peter, his grandson Adrian, and his aunt Agnes. The final letter gives a description of Charles Grant's son, Colonel Patrick Grant, 10 Feb 1974-22 Mar 1976
- (fols. 16-19) 'John Brooke Brooke' by Mrs Margaret Noble: copy of draft introduction and first chapter about his early years, [1977]
- (fols. 20-21) notes by Mrs Noble about (1) Julia Brooke, née Welstead, and (2) the three Cruickshanks [members of the Sarawak Service], [1977].
Item 11 (roll):
- (fol. 1) 'Pedigree of families connected by service to Sarawak', made by Mrs Margaret Noble for the Society of Genealogists. It covers the years 1705-1976 and is concerned with the families of Johnson, Brooke, Grant, Bruce, and Hay, 1976
- (fol. 2) 'Abbreviated guide to relationships between De Windts, Johnsons, Brookes, Grants and Hays', by Mrs Noble, n.d.
Folder 12:
Additional correspondence, including copies and extracts, deposited after the arrangement and binding of letters (Vols 1-16) had been completed, 1856-1863; 1874, 1913, 1974:
- (fols. 1-2) letter from John Keith Jolly (see MSS. Pac. s. 90 Vol. 1, fols. 1-120) to J. Brooke Brooke about the latter's marriage to Annie Grant; and Jolly's great admiration for Sir James Brooke, and his article in appreciation of him, which had been declined by the Quarterly, 10 Sep 1856
- (fols. 3-6) letter from John Brooke Brooke to his father-in-law, John Grant, thanking him for £60 to cover the cost of sending Annie's maid Addison to Sarawak; his own religious difficulties; dinner with Henderson and the Borneo Company directors, and talk of a London Mission to Borneo and the failings of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel (SPG); good news of the coal mines, and the labour question being the only problem, 25 Feb [1857]
- (fols. 7-12) letter from Lady Lucy Grant to her son-in-law John Brooke Brooke, about his religious doubts, [1857]
- (fols. 13-14) letter from Annie Brooke in Marseilles en route for Sarawak, to her mother, Lady Lucy, about events of the journey from England, 11 Mar 1857
- (fols. 15-16) letter from John Brooke Brooke to Lady Lucy, about Annie's sea sickness, their visit to Malta, and future plans; the Chinese Debate, and offer of the Chinese Embassy to Lord Elgin, 16 and 17 Mar 1857
- (fols. 17-18) letter from Sir James Brooke in Sarawak to Lady Lucy about the arrival of John Brooke Brooke and Annie, Charles Grant, and Robert Hay; the Chinese insurrection [the previous Feb]; and plans for the future home of John Brooke Brooke and Annie, 12 May 1857
- (fols. 19-24) copy [in Charles Grant's hand] of parts of letter from John Brooke Brooke in Sarawak to the Rajah in England, about the revenue account; expenditure on the building of forts and offices; the debt to the Borneo Company, which could be paid off gradually; good prospects for trade; the Rajah's needless despondency due only to his debilitated condition; the plea not to give away to a foreign power the country he had won; his own hopes of proving adequate to carry on the government, and distress that the Rajah should give the impression that this was not the case; his fears for the effect in Sarawak of news that the Rajah had offered the country to England for £50,000, which would result in the freeing of slaves; his attempts to allay these fears by assuring the people that the Rajah wanted only the protection of England; and the interest on the debt to the Rajah payable out of Revenue, 10 Oct 1858
- (fols. 25-27) extract from letter from Captain Cresswell, Royal Navy, in Singapore, to his mother describing his visit to Sarawak and the pleasant society he had found there, 26 Oct 1858
- (fols. 28-44) letters about the death of Annie Brooke to her parents, uncle, and sister Lucy, from Bishop McDougall, Sir John Maxwell, J. Hope Grant, J. Erskine, M. Macgregor, A. Ewing (?), and J. Wagner (?), 27 Nov [1858]-27 Feb 1859
- (fols. 45-46) letter from John Brooke Brooke to his sister-in-law Lucy Grant, about the comfort of receiving letters from White Lackington, and his wish that his boys might have such a nurse as 'Nutty' [the Grants' old nurse], 25 Feb 1859
- (fols. 47-50) letter from Rev. C.J. Bunyon to Sir James Brooke, about his sister [wife of Bishop McDougall] and her belongings; the possibility of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel persuading the British Government to order a ship to the coast of Borneo; and the need for protection from internal and external dangers, 27 Feb 1859
- (fols. 51-55) two letters from John Brooke Brooke in London to his parents, about meeting his sister Harriett; the loan deed for £5,000; the Rajah's Testimonial, and investment of the money; and his application to Romaine (?), to be followed up by a letter from Lord Vane, 6 and 16 May 1859
- (fols. 56-57) extracts from a letter from Sir James Brooke at Torcross to Templer about the repayment by John Brooke Brooke of a loan made by the Borneo Company to the Sarawak Government, and the Company's claim for return of the royalty, 26 May 1859
- (fols. 58-61) letter from John Brooke Brooke in Totnes to Lucy Grant, about visiting the Rajah in Devon with his sister Emma Evelyn; the history of Totnes; and work with the Rajah on the Corry case, 1 Jun 1859
- (fols. 62-63) copy of letter from Mrs Penty in Mauritius to Lady Lucy Grant, about the voyage with the children Blanche and Hope, and damage to the ship caused by a hurricane, 5 Apr 1861
- (fols. 64-67) letter from John Brooke Brooke in Sarawak to his parents, about his brother Charles's success at Sadok and the defeat of Rentab; news of Julia and Matilda [Grant]; a suggestion that his sister Harriett might come to Sarawak to help Miss Rocke with her school; and the arrival of Julia's piano, 18 Nov 1861
- (fols. 68-75) typed copies of four letters from Sir James Brooke to Robert Hay, written before leaving Sarawak for England. (There are errors in the transcription, and John Brooke Brooke is referred to as 'Wm. Brooke' in mistake for 'Mr'.) The letters are about measures to be taken 'to secure the peace of the country under the administration of the Tuan Muda' [Charles Brooke], and Hay's decision to remain loyal to John Brooke Brooke and the consequent need for him to retire from the Sarawak Service (see also fols. 84-85 below), 3 Jan-18 Sep 1863
- (fols. 76-81) letter from Rev. W.H. Gomes, Lundu, to John Brooke Brooke, addressing him as 'Dear Rajah', giving a 'statement of facts' in reply to the insinuations against himself circulated by Bishop McDougall, and a copy of his letter of 17 Aug 1862 to the Bishop about remarks in St John's book concerning the conduct of the Mission and its alleged failure, 5 Feb 1863
- (fols. 82-83) letter from William Stirling to John Brooke Brooke about papers relating to the 'Breach', which gave a 'very clear account of the sad story'; his conversation with Mr Layard [Foreign Office] on the subject; and advice to John Brooke Brooke to print his case so that it might be easily read and digested, 8 May 1863
- (fols. 84-85) copy of letter from Sir James Brooke to Robert Hay, about arranging for the Tuan Muda to take over administration of Sarawak; Hay's attitude towards John Brooke Brooke, and his own high regard for Hay; and Hay's reply affirming loyalty to John Brooke Brooke, 14 Jun and 6 Jul 1863
- (fols. 86-87) letter from W.H. Read to John Brooke Brooke about the Rajah's decision to discontinue the allowance of £500 p.a., and expressing regret at the course John Brooke Brooke had taken, 20 Jun 1863
- (fols. 88-91) two letters from [his uncle?] C. Stuart to John Brooke Brooke giving his views on John Brooke Brooke's 'Statement'; and its exasperating effect on Sir James, who wished that John Brooke Brooke's child [Agnes] should be removed from Sarawak, 29 Jun and 20 Nov 1863
- (fols. 92-95) letter from John James Greenshields to John Brooke Brooke confirming that Sir James Brooke had 'given over the Sarawak Government' to John Brooke Brooke in Oct 1861. Also, two letters about J.J. Greenshield's career in Singapore from his nephew W. Greenshields to Mrs Noble, 20 Nov 1863; 15 and 29 Sep 1974
- (fols. 96-108) correspondence, including copies, about Hope Brooke's allowance, between his uncle W. Frederick Johnson, his aunt Emma Evelyn, and her husband, referring to the ill feeling within the family caused by Evelyn's attempt to prove Johnson's father (Rev. F.C. Johnson) to be a 'lunatic' and mentioning an 'insulting' letter from the Rajah to Emma, 5-31 May 1874
- (fols. 109-110) letter from (Sir) Charles Tennyson, Colonial Office, to Hope Brooke, advising him against attempting to see the Secretary of State about his claim or making any move in the matter, 27 Jan 1913.
Folder 13:
- 'Gold button from the jacket of Rentab, the last great Dyak Chief to surrender to Sir James Brooke, Rajah of Sarawak', and the small envelope in which it was contained with the above description in Patrick Grant's hand and a note that it was given to Mrs Grant [his mother], who remembered the incident n.d.
Dates
- Creation: 1847-1977
Extent
13 folders
Language of Materials
- English
Shelfmark
MSS. Pac. s. 90/3
Creator
- From the Collection: Brooke | family | Rajahs of Sarawak (Family)
- From the Collection: Johnson | family | Sarawak | Great Britain (Family)
- From the Collection: Grant | family | Sarawak | Great Britain (Family)
Repository Details
Part of the Bodleian Libraries Repository
Weston Library
Broad Street
Oxford OX1 3BG United Kingdom
specialcollections.enquiries@bodleian.ox.ac.uk
