The Queen of the Desert’s summer holiday: Never before seen photographs taken by Gertrude Bell reveal how the explorer journeyed across North Africa, Malta, Gozo and Sicily with her family
- Gertrude Bell was a linguist, archaeologist fascinated by Arab culture, and a renowned mountaineer
- Also a spy for British intelligence, she took these photos while on holiday in 1902, when she was aged 34
- Snaps include ancient structures such as Hagar Qim temple in Malta, and Greek Theatre of Syracuse in Sicily
- Album emerged after a couple gave it to Dr Graham Best at launch of his book about the intrepid explorer
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Gertrude Bell (above) – known as the ‘Queen of the Desert’ – was a linguist, spy and archaeologist fascinated with Arab culture
She was an archaeologist fascinated with Arab culture, a linguist, a spy, and the greatest female mountaineer of her age.
Now, never-before-seen family holiday snaps taken in 1902 by Gertrude Bell, then aged 34, have emerged, much to the delight of one man who devoted a decade of his life to researching her exploits.
Dr Graham Best had decided to write about the intrepid British explorer’s early life after becoming fascinated with the woman known as the ‘Queen of the Desert’.
He was stunned when a couple arrived at the launch of his book – Bezique: The Private Life Of Gertrude Lowthian Bell – with a lost photo album of the photographs taken by her.
The images, some of which feature her father and her step-brother, were taken in different locations including North Africa, Malta, Gozo and Sicily.
They capture ancient structures such as the Hagar Qim temple in the south of Malta, which dates back to 3,600 BC and the Greek Theatre of Syracuse in Sicily. Also pictured is the Temple of Neptune in Paestum, Campania, Italy, and the Doric Temple of Segesta in Sicily.
Bell, born in Washington, County Durham, was responsible in 1921 for drawing the boundaries of Mesopotamia, which was to become modern-day Iraq.
Still a well known figure in the Middle East today, she was also the first woman to be awarded a first class degree in Modern History at Oxford University, and taught herself Persian before travelling to Iran in 1892.
During the First World War, she was recruited by British Intelligence to help guide soldiers through the deserts, before being made Oriental Secretary in 1917, advising the military on the region.
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Bell’s photograph of her step-brother in 1902 at Hagar Qim, a megalithic temple complex in the south of Malta, dating back to 3600-3200 BC. Still a well known figure in the Middle East today, she was also the first woman to be awarded a first class degree in Modern History at Oxford University, and taught herself Persian before travelling to Iran in 1892
Gertrude’s father, Sir Hugh Bell, 2nd Baronet, at Hagar Qim. He was the son of pioneering ironmaster Lowthian Bell. During the First World War, Gertrude was recruited by British Intelligence to help guide soldiers through the deserts, before being made Oriental Secretary in 1917, advising the military on the region
Bell’s father and step-brother at Hagar Qim. Gertrude was able to speak eight languages, including Arabic, Persian and Turkish, which enabled her to move freely in the Middle East. Her ill-fated engagement to a young diplomat and her love affair with a married man ended in tragedy and she died in mysterious circumstances on July 12, 1926, two days before her 58th birthday
These never-before-seen holiday snaps were all taken in 1902 by Gertrude Bell when she was 34. They include, above, the Temple of Hera Lacinia (aka The Temple of Juno) – a Greek temple in the Valle dei Templi in Sicily dating back to circa 450 BC. Bell, born in Washington, County Durham, was responsible in 1921 for drawing the boundaries of Mesopotamia, which was to become modern-day Iraq
The discovery of the photos delighted one man who devoted a decade of his life to researching her exploits. Dr Graham Best had decided to write about the intrepid British explorer’s early life after becoming fascinated with the woman known as the ‘Queen of the Desert’. He was stunned when a couple arrived at the launch of his book – Bezique: The Private Life Of Gertrude Lowthian Bell – with a lost photo album of the photographs taken by her. Above, Bell’s image of the Greek Theatre of Syracuse in Sicily
Bell’s pictures of the Temple of Hera II (also known as The Temple of Neptune) – a Greek temple in Paestum, Campania, Italy, dating back to around 460–450 BC. Gertrude was credited by many as helping to reshape the Arab world in the early 1900s thanks to her unique understanding of Bedouin cultures
Dr Best, 67, had decided to write a book about Bell’s early years after realising that few people knew about that period of her life. Dr Best, of Pocklington, North Yorkshire, had begun his book project in 2008 – and was presented with the pictures by Valerie and David Wright at the village hall in East Rounton, where the launch was taking place. (Above, a picture taken by the explorer on a boat in 1902)
Dr Graham Best said of Bell: ‘She should be on the national curriculum. She’s on the national curriculum in Germany so why not in England, where she is from?’. (Pictured, another of the explorer’s early 20th century photos, taken at a dock)
Dr Best, 67, decided to write a book about her early years after realising that few people knew about that period of her life.
Dr Best, of Pocklington, North Yorkshire, had begun his book project in 2008 – and was presented with the pictures by Valerie and David Wright at the village hall in East Rounton, where the launch was taking place.
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They explained the album had been purchased more than 60 years ago by David’s father Albert at the Arncliffe Hall auction in North Yorkshire.
During the auction, the contents of Rounton Grange – the Bell family home – which was destroyed in the 1950s, were being sold to the highest bidders.
After looking at historic diaries and Bell’s handwriting style, Dr Best has been able to ascertain that the pictures are holiday snaps taken in 1902, when she would have been 34 years old.
Above, Bell’s holiday snap of the Doric temple of Segesta in Sicily. Bell built up her contacts after extensively travelling in Arabia, Greater Syria, Mesopotamia and Asia Minor. Gertrude was also credited with helping to administer the modern state of Iraq. She is said to have utilised her own unique perspective from her travels and relations with tribal leaders throughout the Middle East
The explorer has also been described as ‘one of the few representatives of His Majesty’s Government remembered by the Arabs with anything resembling affection’. She is said to have had an unconsummated affair with Maj. Charles Doughty-Wylie, a married man, with whom she exchanged love letters from 1913 to 1915. (Above, her photo of the Temple of Hera Lacinia)
Gertrude Bell: How a female explorer from County Durham created modern Iraq
Explorer: Gertrude Bell
Gertrude Margaret Lowthian Bell, CBE, was famously known as a British political officer, explorer, spy and archaeologist whose maps became highly influential to British imperial policy-making.
She was credited by many as helping to reshape the Arab world in the early 1900s thanks to her unique understanding of Bedouin cultures.
Bell built up her contacts after extensively travelling in Arabia, Greater Syria, Mesopotamia and Asia Minor.
Gertrude was also credited with helping to administer the modern state of Iraq. She is said to have utilised her own unique perspective from her travels and relations with tribal leaders throughout the Middle East.
The explorer has also been described as ‘one of the few representatives of His Majesty’s Government remembered by the Arabs with anything resembling affection’.
She is said to have had an unconsummated affair with Maj. Charles Doughty-Wylie, a married man, with whom she exchanged love letters from 1913 to 1915.
Reportedly after his death in 1915 during the Battle of Gallipoli, Bell launched herself into her work.
Born in Washington Hall, County Durham, England, she died aged 57 in Iraq, then known as The British Mandate for Mesopotamia.
Dr Best said: ‘I was absolutely thrilled. It is amazing to think those pictures survived all this time.
‘Fortunately, Valarie and David Wright realised the significance of the album. Gertrude Bell didn’t appear in any of the photographs herself, which suggests to me that she was behind the lens.
‘I recognised her father and her step-brother Hugo in the pictures. It’s extremely rare for something like this to turn up now after all this time.’
Bell was a distinguished writer, photographer, mountaineer, archaeologist and linguist.
She was born on July 14, 1868 in Washington, Tyne and Wear, before moving to Redcar, Cleveland and the now demolished Rounton Grange near Stokesley in North Yorkshire.
During her lifetime, she developed a love for the Middle East.
After the First World War, she assisted the Government in drawing up the borders for modern-day Iraq and Jordan.
She was able to speak eight languages, including Arabic, Persian and Turkish, which enabled her to move freely in the Middle East.
Her ill-fated engagement to a young diplomat and her love affair with a married man ended in tragedy and she died in mysterious circumstances on July 12, 1926, two days before her 58th birthday.
Despite her success, Dr Best says she is not as well known as she should be.
The grandfather of seven, who previously worked as a director at Teesside University and as an assistant principal at Northallerton College, added: ‘I had never heard of her until we re-published her step-mother’s book.
‘I discovered that people don’t know very much about her. I decided to concentrate my biography on her early life.
‘She lost her mother when she was three – that had a massive effect on her life.
‘My book doesn’t go into the history of the Middle East. By then she was in a bad way, she had a lot of broken romances and problems.
The Wrights explained the album had been purchased more than 60 years ago by David’s father Albert at the Arncliffe Hall auction in North Yorkshire. During the auction, the contents of Rounton Grange – the Bell family home – which was destroyed in the 1950s, were being sold to the highest bidders. After looking at historic diaries and Bell’s handwriting style, Dr Best (pictured, with the album) ascertained the pictures are holiday snaps taken in 1902
‘She was incredibly high achieving and an incredibly clever woman.
‘She should be on the national curriculum. She’s on the national curriculum in Germany so why not in England, where she is from?’
Graham said he has had a ‘really good’ reaction to his book.
He said: ‘I have been writing it over ten years. It is more than a hobby. People are asking what I am going to write next. My wife is happy because she’s got me back now and the other woman is gone!
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Despite Bell’s success, Dr Best says she is not as well known as she should be. The grandfather of seven, who previously worked as a director at Teesside University and as an assistant principal at Northallerton College, said: ‘I discovered that people don’t know very much about her. I decided to concentrate my biography on her early life’
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