College of Political Knowledge
Subject: Women’s History
Once again it is march and Women’s history month……..and keeping with my tradition I pick a woman that I feel has contributed much and is little known by the outside world…..this yer I have chosen Gertrude Bell…..an Englishwoman that had an enormous effect on today’s world……
Everybody, well most everybody, knows of T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) and his contribution to the efforts during and after WW1……but there was another person that deserves as much attention as does Lawrence….That person is Gertrude Bell (1868-1926)…….
A short biography from Write Spirit……..
Born in County Durham on July 14th 1868 to a family of great prosperity, Gertrude Bell was the daughter of the great Industrialist, Isaac Lowthian Bell. This wealth was later used to finance Gertrude’s later travels around the world. At the age of 16 Gertrude went down to Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford where she became the first woman to achieve a first in History, after only 2 years of study. Thereafter she travelled to countries such as Iran, Mesopotamia, Jerusalem and Switzerland. She developed a passion for archaeology and mountaineering in the French Alps, (she become one of the best female mountain climbers.) Her fascination with Arabic culture led her to learn many languages including Arabic. In Jerusalem she is said to have dressed up as a man in order to investigate the mysterious world of the Druze community.
In 1915 Gertrude Bell volunteered for service with the Red Cross in France but shortly after she was summoned to Cairo where she worked on behalf of the Cairo office who were helping to ferment a rebellion of the Arabs against the Turks. Because of her intricate knowledge and personal dealings with the Arab tribes Gertrude was able to offer a wealth of information that was used by T.E.Lawrence and others in the successful Arab revolt. In 1916 she arrived in Basra and was able to draw maps helping the British army reach Baghdad. Bell was the only commissioned female officer in the British army and for her work she was later awarded the C.B.E
After the war and the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, Bell was instrumental in first negotiating the borders of Iraq and then persuading Churchill to accept Faisal as the new King of Iraq. Bell then acted as an adviser to Faisal, leading some to comment she was the “uncrowned Queen of Iraq” It is said Gertrude Bell and great skill in persuading politicians about her own viewpoint.
Unfortunately the new nation of Iraq proved to be rather artificial leading to conflicts between different tribes. The British presence was increasingly resented and disliked leading to a long period of violent and costly confrontation. It is perhaps surprising the striking similarities to the present situation are rarely mentioned.
After the situation in Iraq began to be a little more stable, Gertrude was able to pursue her interest in archaeology. She founded the Baghdad Archaeology Museum with its extensive collection of artifacts dating back into antiquity and the times of Babylon. Gertrude Bell was a pioneer in calling for national treasures to be kept in the country of origin. The Baghdad Museum used to be one of the world’s most prestigious archaeological museums.
Unfortunately the brilliant life of Gertrude Bell came to a tragic conclusion in July 1926. A tribal rebellion against the British backed regime made the situation in Iraq discouraging and depressing. Beset by illness, and perhaps a sense of personal loneliness she took her own life with an overdose of sleeping pills.
A strong woman that needs to be appreciated more than she is……as a student of the Middle East I studied her and her accomplishments….I found her a fascinating person and a fascinating intellect….and her story is a compelling one that needs to be told and told often…..