INTRODUCTION


COLONEL STEWART FRANCIS NEWCOMBE was already a legend in the deserts of Arabia before he was joined in Cairo during the early months of the First World War by a a remarkable team of Middle Eastern specialists. One member of this group was T.E. Lawrence who went on to achieve worldwide fame. Colonel Newcombe's story, like those of other unsung figures in the Anglo-Arabian narrative, has been eclipsed by the legend of ´Lawrence of Arabia´, and has languished in the dusty recesses of regimental records, government files or in the elliptical words of Lawrence’s book Seven Pillars of Wisdom. However, S.F. Newcombe´s untold story is there to be told. BEYOND ARABIA is a story of extraordinary exploits and courage, coupled with Newcombe's own legendary and inexhaustible supply of energy and of remarkable adventures under the very noses of the Ottoman authorities – full of danger, intrigue and perhaps more surprisingly, of romance during Newcombe's captivity in Turkey. In the years between the two world wars, Palestine became Newcombe’s main preoccupation, especially after his retirement from military service, and he spent many years in helping to achieve a just solution in relation to the promises that were made to the Arabs during the war in return for their active participation in support of the Allied cause. For this untiring effort he will be best remembered. This is his story.

Tuesday, July 29, 2025

Relaunch of an invaluable Lawrence resource

The T.E. Lawrence Society has recently announced the relaunch of an important platform showcasing the life and works of Thomas Edward Lawrence that had been inaccessible to the public since the passing of its founder, Jeremy Wilson, in 2017.

Lawrence in the Crypt of St Paul's Cathedral,
London, Nelson Chamber.

The original T. E. Lawrence Studies website was edited and maintained by Wilson and attracted a large and loyal following, as well as introducing new visitors to the man the world largely knew as Lawrence of Arabia and who undoubtedly became one of the most celebrated figures post WW1. Its content draws on the research archive formed through his work on Lawrence of Arabia, The Authorised Biography and the ongoing Castle Hill Press edition of T. E. Lawrence's writings. The new presentation of the site has the approval of the T. E. Lawrence Society, Jeremy Wilson's family and the Jeremy Wilson Archive held at Magdalen College Oxford. The following description of the relaunch of this much missed archive is from telsociety.org.uk  

'Through the kindness and generosity of Nicole Wilson, The T. E. Lawrence Society will make available to the public the important and valuable T. E. Lawrence Studies website. Jeremy Wilson’s website has thousands of pages of research available for scholars and students of Lawrence. It includes texts of hundreds of letters, links to many of Lawrence’s own writings and a detailed chronology of his life.

There are literally many thousands of pages of information available to access. T. E. Lawrence Society member Peter Neville has used his web skills to update the site visually and improve how it functions. His dedication to the project was instrumental in getting the site available again.

In following Jeremy’s thoughts that this information should be available to everyone, the link to the site will be on the public page of the T. E. Lawrence Society webpage. The Studies website will be the perfect research tool for any student of T. E. Lawrence. As new Lawrence letters become available, additional content can be added as well.

The T. E. Lawrence Society is very proud to play an important role in getting this information available to the public. Special thanks to Nicole Wilson, Peter Neville and Joe Berton for making this possible.'

In replying to a question on why he had created the original website, Jeremy said:

'Like most historians, I set a high value on accurate information. That isn't just a question of academic principle. In practical terms, it reflects the time and money spent finding things out. Therefore, I've often wished that the authors of historical studies would publish not only their conclusions, but also a research guide. The frontiers of knowledge would be rolled back more quickly if less time was wasted looking for information that someone else has already found.'

To visit this invaluable resource on this remarkable man, click here telstudies.org.uk

 

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