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Palestine: Memoir Files 11-20, 1929-1949

 File
Shelfmark: MSS. Brit. Emp. s. 284/20
Held at the Weston Library

MF 11: 'Palestine 11 - Black Letter':

  1. (fols. 1-2) part of a letter from Chancellor to Maurice F. Headlam, marked 'See in connection with Black Letter', describing some of his problems as High Commissioner, 16 Mar 1930
  2. (fols. 3-15) letter from Shuckburgh, to Chancellor, referring to a telegram from the Secretary of State (see MSS. Brit. Emp. s. 284/13 (2), folder 4, fol. 175) about conversations with the Jewish Agency and criticisms of the White Paper, and enclosing the first draft of the first portion of Ramsay McDonald's letter to Weizmann, 4 Dec 1930
  3. (fols. 16-27) minutes of the Fourth and Fifth Meetings on Policy in Palestine between members of the Cabinet (Arthur Henderson in the Chair, with Passfield, T. Shaw, and A.V. Alexander); representatives of the Jewish organisations (Dr Weizmann, Prof. Brodetsky, H. Sacher, J. de Rothschild, L.B. Namier, M.B. Hexter, L. Motzkin, Prof. H. Laski, and Dr N.D. Eder); and the Lord Advocate for Scotland, C.M. Aitchison, and Malcolm MacDonald. They discussed the letter to be sent to Dr Weizmann 'to remove certain misconceptions regarding His Majesty's Government's policy in Palestine', 19 Dec 1930 and 30 Jan 1931
  4. (fols. 28-53) two letters and eleven telegrams between Passfield and Chancellor concerning the letter to Weizmann, including Chancellor's criticisms of the third draft and the protests of the Arab Executive following publication of the letter, 9 Jan-17 Feb 1931
  5. (fols. 54-61) printed copy of the letter and a cyclostyled copy of it, both annotated by Chancellor, 13 Feb 1931
  6. (fols. 62-64) letter from Kisch to Young, with a copy of the message issued in London by Weizmann after receiving the letter, 14 Feb 1931
  7. (fols. 65-67) copy of a letter from Auni Bey Abdul Hani to Chancellor criticising the letter to Weizmann as embodying a 'new policy' of His Majesty's Government, 16 Feb 1931
  8. (fols. 68-85) record (two copies) of a meeting with the Arab Executive concerning the letter (MSS. Brit. Emp. s. 284/14 (2), folder 4, No. 12 of index), 16 Feb 1931
  9. (fols. 86-90) letter from H. Beckett, Colonial Office, to Chancellor enclosing Minutes of two meetings of the Cabinet Committee (see above, fols. 16-27) and a note of the replies given on 12 Feb to five points raised by Weizmann concerning the draft of the letter, 20 Feb 1931
  10. (fols. 91-94) extracts from Doar Hayom, quoting from Dr Buckspan's speech at a Revisionist Conference in Austria, criticising the letter, 11 Mar 1931
  11. (fols. 95-107) notes of two interviews given by Chancellor to Weizmann when he visited Palestine, to give him an opportunity for a full discussion of the position (duplicate copies of these notes are in MSS. Brit. Emp. s. 284/14 (2), folder 4, fols. 46-58). Questions raised included the possibility of bringing together Arab and Jewish leaders, and of the settlement of Jews in Trans-Jordan (Jordan); also, problems connected with Jewish labour, the Haifa-Baghdad Railway, and the Development Scheme, 20, and 30 Mar 1931
  12. (fol. 108) note by Chancellor about the letter, listing points to which he took exception and omissions pointed out by him, 10 Apr 1931
  13. (fol. 109) folder entitled 'The Black Letter' containing fols. 110-170, n.d.
  14. (fols. 111-147) draft (pp. 1-20), and typescript headed 'The White Paper of Oct 1930', duplicate of Chapter 7 in the box file (MSS. Brit. Emp. s. 284/18, folder 2), and typist's comments. The draft includes a copy of 'Note of interview with Mr Rutenberg, 20 Oct 1930' (MSS. Brit. Emp. s. 284/14 (2), folder 4, No. 3 of index)
  15. (fols. 148-157) draft (pp. 21-23) headed 'Black Letter', and some rough notes. A note states that the manuscript was sent to the typist, but there is no completed typescript of this chapter in the box file (MSS. Brit. Emp. s. 284/18, folder 2). It was perhaps intended to be a continuation of Chapter 7, although listed as Chapter 11
  16. (fols. 158-170) cuttings from Palestine newspapers, 27 Oct 1930 to 19 Jun 1931, about the White Paper and the Black Letter.

MF 12: 'Palestine 12 - Dr Magnes' Proposals and Brith Shalom' (see MSS. Brit. Emp. s. 284/18, folder 2, fols. 134-146):

  1. (fols. 1-16) manuscript draft (pp. 1-5) of Chapter 12, and typist's comments. The draft includes two 'Enclosures': (1) Memorandum by Dr Magnes, on a basis for an Arab-Jewish understanding on Palestine, and (2) Note on Mr Philby's proposals, n.d.
  2. (fols. 17-31) folder containing draft (pp. 1-5) of Chapter 12A, on Brith Shalom, a society formed by Jews of goodwill, primarily Dr Magnes and Norman Bentwich, to establish friendly relations with the Arabs; also, some papers concerning the society: (1) note by Chancellor on Zionist opposition to the society, (2) extract from Doar Hayom quoting Ben Baruch, and (3) the Brith Shalom programme or cooperation between Jews and Arabs, a statement of policy issued in Jan 1930, n.d.
  3. (fols. 32-51) rough notes, including notes headed 'Pica Colonies', 'Palestine - Social organisation', and 'Palestine 1939', and a page from The Times of 9 Dec 1938 about a debate on Palestine in the House of Lords, n.d.
  4. (fols. 52-54) letter from Magnes to Chancellor referring to Bentwich and enclosing an invitation to the first Degree Day of the Hebrew University, Jerusalem, 14 Jan 1932.

MF 13: 'Palestine 13 - Baron Edmond de Rothschild and Pica Colonies':

  1. (fols. 1-9) note of a meeting between Chancellor and Baron de Rothschild, in Paris, to discuss the state of affairs in Palestine, and a draft of this note altered by Chancellor for incorporation in the Memoirs, 5 May 1931
  2. (fols. 10-25) folder containing notes and drafts about Baron de Rothschild, the Balfour Declaration, and the Pica Colonies [the Palestine/Jewish Colonisation Association in 1924 took over the management of the agricultural colonies established by the Baron between 1883 and 1900], n.d.
  3. (fols. 26-27) letter from Sir Laurie Hammond referring to Chancellor's notes to the Colonial Secretary about an Arab Federation (see MSS. Brit. Emp. s. 284/19, MF 8), 7 Nov 1938.

MF 14: 'Palestine 14 - Cultivation and Afforestation':

  1. (fols. 1-11) rough notes on cultivation, the Palestine Department of Agriculture and afforestation, n.d.

MF 15: 'Palestine 15 - Immigration' (see MSS. Brit. Emp. s. 284/18, folder 2, fols. 147-161):

  1. (fols. 1-14) draft of Chapter 15, n.d.
  2. (fols. 15-62) folder marked 'Immigration' containing notes and other papers, including a copy of a despatch dated 16 Dec 1927 from Plumer to Amery, and one dated 19 Jan 1928 from Ormsby-Gore to Plumer, on immigration and unemployment; and notes by Chancellor on 'Instances of H.M.G. yielding to Jewish pressures 1929-31', n.d.
  3. (fols. 63-71) minutes of a conference with Horowitz and Hooftien on behalf of the Jewish Agency, and 'Abstracts of observations' submitted by them to Chancellor, concerning the Agency's functions and other matters (MSS. Brit. Emp. s. 284/14 (1), folder 1, No. 1 of index), 30 Aug 1929
  4. (fols. 72-75) duplicate of MSS. Brit. Emp. s. 284/14 (1), folder 1, fols. 2-6, 31 Aug 1929
  5. (fols. 76-83) minutes of a conference with Horowitz, about the Upper Galilee Colonies, Arab atrocities at Safad, and other matters (MSS. Brit. Emp. s. 284/14 (1), folder 1, No. 3 of index), 1 Sep 1929
  6. (fols. 84-95) minutes of a conference with representative Jewish leaders - Ben Zvi, Solomon, and Berlin (Vaad Leumi) and Rabbis Kook, Uziel, and Blau, on questions of security in Jewish colonies (MSS. Brit. Emp. s. 284/14 (2), folder 4, No. 4 of index), 2 Sep 1929
  7. (fols. 96-104) memorandum of a conference with Kisch, on similar questions (MSS. Brit. Emp. s. 284/14 (1), folder 1, No. 5 of index), 6 Sep 1929
  8. (fols. 105-110) memorandum (two copies) of a conference with Rabbis Sonnenfeld and Yungreis, concerning the recent attacks on Jews (MSS. Brit. Emp. s. 284/14 (1), folder 1, No. 7 of index), 6 Sep 1929
  9. (fols. 111-118) duplicate of MSS. Brit. Emp. s. 284/14 (1), folder 1, fols. 7-15, 7 Sep 1929
  10. (fols. 119-128) notes of an interview with Kisch about the persecution of Jews in Russia and other matters (MSS. Brit. Emp. s. 284/14 (2), folder 3, No. 7 of index), 27 Feb 1930
  11. (fols. 129-143) minutes of a meeting with the Vaad Leumi, concerning the suspension of immigration by H.M.G. (MSS. Brit. Emp. s. 284/14 (2), folder 3, No. 13 of index), 21 May 1930.

MF 16: 'Palestine 16 - Miscellaneous: Lord Plumer, Lord Melchett, C.R. Crane, Aimee McPherson' (see MSS. Brit. Emp. s. 284/18, folder 2, fols. 162-166, 210-17, and MSS. Brit. Emp. s. 284/22, MF 42, fols. 7-14):

  1. (fols. 1-27) folder, 'Lord Plumer 1927-1928', containing draft and duplicate typescript of Chapter 16, notes of an interview with Plumer on 15 Aug 1928, and concerning his action regarding British troops in Palestine, and a letter from him to Chancellor dated 21 Sep 1929 about the Palestine situation, n.d.
  2. (fol. 28) folder, 'Visit of Mrs Aimee McPherson to Palestine, and Religious Freaks, Bahais', containing fols. 29-43, n.d.
  3. (fols. 29-32) note of an interview given to the Rev. H. Pereira Mendes, about the Wailing Wall controversy, 3 May 1929
  4. (fols. 33-37) two telegrams from Chancellor to Passfield, and some notes, about the visit to Palestine of Mrs McPherson, 22 Nov, 21 Dec 1929
  5. (fols. 38-42) notes on eccentric religious groups and the Bahai faith, n.d.
  6. (fols. 44-57) folder, 'C.R. Crane and his report to Pres. Wilson', containing draft of the typescript of Chapter 17A in MSS. Brit. Emp. s. 284/18, folder 2 (indexed as Chapter 20A), about the visit to Palestine in 1931 of Crane and Dr H.C. King, sent by President Wilson to report on conditions and submit recommendations regarding Syria, Palestine, and Iraq; also, a letter from Crane in California to Chancellor dated 11 Feb 1934 about Palestine affairs, n.d.
  7. (fols. 58-62) letter from Miss A.B. Landau, and notes by Chancellor about her and the Evelina de Rothschild Girls' School in Jerusalem of which she was headmistress, 23 Apr 1933
  8. (fols. 63-64) rough notes on Lord Melchett, n.d.

MF 17: 'Palestine 17 - Lord Passfield' (see MSS. Brit. Emp. s. 284/18, folder 2, fols. 167-209):

  1. (fols. 1-38) correspondence between Chancellor and Passfield: Personal letters and telegrams, many in draft form, threaded together, and reproduced in this order in Chapter 17. They include reports by Chancellor of private conversations with Magnes, Rutenberg, and Weizmann, 13 Sep 1929-26 Aug 1931
  2. (fols. 39-55) correspondence between Chancellor and Passfield: Draft of Chancellor's letter to Passfield (fols. 7-14 above) with notes of his conversation with Magnes on 1 Oct 1929, a letter from Magnes the following day, and a memorandum by Magnes, 'Basis of an Arab-Jewish understanding in Palestine', 2 Nov 1929
  3. (fols. 56-75) correspondence between Chancellor and Passfield: Printed copy of Chancellor's confidential despatch to Passfield giving his views as to the causes that led to the outbreaks in Palestine and his recommendations as to the measures necessary to prevent their recurrence, 17 Jan 1930
  4. (fols. 76-80) correspondence between Chancellor and Passfield: Duplicate of fols. 18-20, 5 Jun 1930
  5. (fols. 81-90) correspondence between Chancellor and Passfield: Notes of two interviews with Ramsay McDonald, on 17 Jul 1930 and 20 May 1931, and with Drummond Shiels on 11 Jul 1930, about Palestine problems, particularly immigration, Jul 1930-May 1931
  6. (fols. 91-96) correspondence between Chancellor and Passfield: List of members of the Cabinet Committee on Policy in Palestine, and a note of a conversation with Passfield on certain points in the Statement of Policy that had been drafted by the Committee, Aug and 23 Sep 1930
  7. (fols. 97-100) correspondence between Chancellor and Passfield: Draft of a letter (fol. 38) from Chancellor to Passfield about the latter's resignation, and his reply, 26 Aug and 20 Sep 1931
  8. (fols. 101-103) correspondence between Chancellor and Passfield: Letter from Passfield returning a cutting from The Times, and saying that he had 'ceased to think about Palestine', 23 Oct 1932
  9. (fols. 104-105) correspondence between Chancellor and Passfield: Letter signed 'Sidney Webb', about a visit from Chancellor, 21 May 1936
  10. (fols. 106-107) Reuter's Telegrams about Col. Wedgwood, and a cutting from The Observer on Palestine, 13 and 24 Nov 1929
  11. (fols. 108-112) Chancellor's farewell speech at the Civil Service Dinner, Jerusalem, 29 Aug 1931
  12. (fols. 113-117) letter from Miss Abbott about the typescript of Chapter 17, 26 Jun 1949.

MF 18: 'Palestine - Dr Weizmann' (see MSS. Brit. Emp. s. 284/18, folder 2, fols. 218-234):

  1. (fols. 1-10) notes, chiefly concerned with the references to Chancellor in Weizmann's autobiography, and an extract from Passfield's letter to Ramsay McDonald dated 23 Jul 1930 giving his 'very good opinion' of Chancellor. Also attached are two pages from The New Judaea of Mar-Apr 1930, with Weizmann's article on Balfour entitled 'The Messenger of Grace', n.d.
  2. (fols. 11-17) correspondence between Chancellor and Sir Samuel Wilson about Weizmann's coming visit to Palestine, 17 Feb-3 Mar 1931
  3. (fols. 18-29) reports of and extracts from speeches made by Weizmann in Palestine, and a cutting from the Palestine Bulletin dated 5 Jul 1931 about the Zionist Congress in Basle, 23 Mar 1931-Oct 1932.

MF 19: 'Palestine 19 - Police':

  1. (fols. 1-10) folder marked 'Defence and Garrison - Police', containing notes also on Palestine prisons, n.d.
  2. (fols. 11-15) five telegrams between Chancellor and Passfield concerning the reorganisation of the Palestine Police Force and the appointment of Dowbiggin as Commandant, 30 Sep 1929-25 Feb 1930.

MF 20: 'Palestine 20 - Land Legislation':

  1. (fols. 1-44) folder containing notes and drafts by Chancellor under the following headings: Land tenure; Land legislation; Lord Passfield; White Paper of 1930; Control of Land 1930; Sir John Hope Simpson; Land - Jan 1936; Land 1940 Regulations; and Land 1940 Times leader, with two cuttings from The Times of 29 Feb 1940, n.d.
  2. (fols. 45-60) copy of paragraphs 68-86 of Chancellor's despatch to Passfield (MSS. Brit. Emp. s. 284/20, MF 17, fols. 57-75), cut up and adapted for inclusion in the Memoirs, 17 Jan 1930
  3. (fols. 61-68) copy of part of a note by Archer Cust (see MSS. Brit. Emp. s. 284/14 (2), folder 4, fols. 5-29) concerning land, treated similarly, n.d.
  4. (fols. 69-96) papers concerning the Land Commission: Questionnaire on cultivable land in Palestine, with Schedules A-F attached relating to villages purchased by Jews and questions of agriculture and forestry, 1930
  5. (fols. 97-108) memorandum on land legislation for the High Commissioner by Drayton, Acting Attorney-General, 27 Apr 1931
  6. (fol. 109) page from the Palestine Post, on the Colonial Secretary's statement on land development, 20 Jul 1933
  7. (fols. 110-112) statement by the Executive of the Jewish Agency, concerning the High Commissioner's statement of 29 Jan 1936 to representatives of the Arab political parties about disposal of land, 31 Jan 1936
  8. (fols. 113-124) Palestine Land Transfer Regulations: Letter to the Secretary-General of the League of Nations. Cmd. 6180 (two copies), 28 Feb 1940.

Dates

  • Creation: 1929-1949

Extent

10 folders

Language of Materials

  • English

Shelfmark

MSS. Brit. Emp. s. 284/20

Repository Details

Repository Details

Part of the Bodleian Libraries Repository

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