Gordon, Gen. Charles George

Papers relating to Gordon and his work in Africa.

SSC/54/1

- Ms. letter, Gordon at Khartoum, to R.F. Burton, c/o British Consulate at Cairo, dated 30 January 1878; about his own religious beliefs and recommending a visit to Darfur.
4 pp. on 1 leaf.

- Envelope, addressed in ms. “Captain Burton / H.M. Consul / Trieste / Care of H.M. Consul General / Cairo” (with ms. additions in Arabic). Franked “POSTE KHEDEVIE EGIZIANE / 17 MAG [i.e. Maggio - May] 78 / [Place name illegible]”, with similar ink franks for “CAIRO” and “SUEZ” to the rear.
1 opened envelope, 9 x 4”.

- Ms. letter, Gordon at Harar, to R.F. Burton, H.M. Consul Trieste, dated 29 April 1878, on Abyssinian affairs.
10pp. on 5 small leaves.
[For original enclosure, in Arabic script, see SSC/54/4]

- Ms. letter, A.R. Hinks to ‘Clarke’, dated 28 July [no year], acknowledging receipt of the letters from Gordon to Burton, and expressing thanks for their donation. Hinks considers that they are “really most interesting and show Gordon in a very good light, to my way of thinking”. 3pp. on 1 leaf.

SSC/54/2

-Ms. letter, Gordon at 19 Sackville Street, Piccadilly, to H.W. Bates (Society’s Assistant Secretary), dated 2 February 1880, sending thanks for the “great honour” of being elected an Honorary Corresponding Member.
1 p. on folded foolscap leaf of blue paper.
[ex-MUS 342]

SSC/54/3

- Hutton’s Tables [i.e. a published volume of logarithms: 'Mathematical tables: containing the common, hyperbolic, and logistic logarithms, also sines, tangents, secants, and versed sines both natural and logarithmic...' Charles Hutton & Olinthus Gregory. London: Longman, Brown & Co., date unknown, as vol. lacks t/page & pp.i-xlvi - but probably 10th ed., 1846, or 11th ed., 1849, given Crimean War started in 1853 and 12th ed. was not published until 1855].
Belonged to Gordon and given by him to John Joseph Grinlinton at Sevastapol in 1856, when they were both employed on the survey of the Allied positions. Presented by his grandson Lt.-Col. John L. Grinlinton, 13 December 1932.
Leather-bound volume*, lacking rear board, title page and prelims i-xlvi [ex-MUS 18];

- Ms. enclosure from published volume, holding inked survey calculations and diagram headed “West side of Balaklava Harbour”, with locations labelled A-E and key denoting “A. Corner of Harbour Rail at Sick Wharf...”; signed “J.J. Grinlinton, 3 March [18]56”.
1 foolscap leaf of blue paper, with central fold and some paper loss centrally.

- - Ms note, dated 15 February 1931, by donor Lieut.-Col. John L. Grinlinton, explaining provenance of logarithms volume.
1 small leaf with central fold
[* Front board of 'Hutton's Tables' (SSC/54/3) retains a portion of the original tan-coloured calfskin to the front board, blind-tooled with a twelve-petalled, encircled flower and "GORDON". This name is scored through in ink and instead inscribed, in ms., "Lieut. C. Gordon / to / ... Grinlinton / 1856 / Copy [?from] Sevastopol". Stuck-down front endpaper has pencilled and inked ms. additions, including: "This is to be Jack Grinlinton's book when I am gone. John J. Grinlinton, 8 May 1907"].

SSC/54/4.

Ms. listing of the Princes of Harar, in Arabic script, originally enclosed with Gordon’s letter to Burton of 29 April 1878
1 foolscap leaf
[For associated letter, see SSC/54/1]

SSC/54/5

- Ts. certificate, signed by Sir T.J. Gallwey, of the authenticity of the camel saddle which had been used by General Gordon
1 octavo leaf, with old staining to left margin and paper loss to right margin
- Museum display label stating “General Gordon’s camel saddle, presented by Mr. Mowbray Charrington, 1923. Bridle presented by Mrs. Mowbray Charrington, 1936”.
Small ts. paper slip
[For saddle and bridle in Artefacts collection, see rgs700858].

See also: RGS Journal Mss Africa: Nile, 1876, 1877 - published. RGS Correspondence Blocks; 1851-60, 1871-80, 1911-1920

The RGS archives: a handlist / compiled by Christine Kelly. London: RGS, 1977 .

Commissioned into the Royal Engineers, Gordon was wounded in the Crimea. He demarcated the Russian/Turkish frontiers and served in China from 1860-65 as commander of an imperial army. Governor General of the Sudan for the Khedive of Egypt, 1877-80. Sent back to the Sudan in 1884, he was killed when Khartoum fell to the Mahdi's forces.