Biography of gertrude bell

English writer, traveller, political officer, and archaeologist

Gertrude Margaret Lowthian BellCBE (14 July &#;– 12 July ) was an English writer, traveller, political officer, administrator, and archaeologist. She spent much of her life exploring and mapping the Middle East, and became highly influential to British imperial policy-making as an Arabist due to her knowledge and contacts built up through extensive travels. During her lifetime, she was highly esteemed and trusted by British officials such as High Commissioner for Mesopotamia Percy Cox, giving her great influence. She participated in both the Paris Peace Conference (briefly) and the Cairo Conference, which helped decide the territorial boundaries and governments of the post-War Middle East as part of the partition of the Ottoman Empire. Bell believed that the momentum of Arab nationalism was unstoppable, and that the British government should ally with nationalists rather than stand against them. Along with T. E. Lawrence, she advocated for independent Arab states in the Middle East following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, and supported the installation of Hashemite monarchies in what is today Jordan and Iraq.

Bell was raised in a privileged environment that allowed her an education at Oxford University, to travel the world, and to make the acquaintance of people who would become influential policy-makers later. In her travels, she became an accomplished mountain climber and equestrian. She expressed great affection for the Middle East, visiting

&#;Queen of the Desert&#; and the female &#;Lawrence of Arabia&#; are just some of the names attributed to the intrepid female traveller Getrude Bell. At a time when a woman’s role was still very much in the home, Bell proved what an accomplished woman could achieve.

Gertrude Bell became a crucial figure in the British Empire, a well-known traveller as well as writer, her in-depth knowledge of the Middle East proved to be her making.

Such was the scope of her influence, particularly in modern-day Iraq, that she was known to be “one of the few representatives of His Majesty&#;s Government remembered by the Arabs with anything resembling affection&#;. Her knowledge and decisions were trusted by some of the most important British government officials, helping to define a region as well as break new ground as a woman exerting power in the same sphere as her male counterparts.

As a woman seeking to fulfil her own ambitions she benefited enormously from the encouragement and financial backing of her family. She was born in July at Washington New Hall in County Durham, to a family that was purported to be the sixth richest family in the country.

Whilst she lost her mother at a very young age, her father, Sir Hugh Bell, 2nd Baronet became an important mentor throughout her life. He was a wealthy mill owner whilst her grandfather was the industrialist, Sir Isaac Lowthian Bell, also a Liberal Member of Parliament in the time of Disraeli.

Both men in her life would have an important influence on her as she was exposed to an internationalism and deep intellectual discussions from a young age. Moreover, her stepmother, Florence Bell was said to have had a strong influence on Gertrude’s ideas of social responsibility, something that would feature later in her dealings in modern-day Iraq.

From this grounding and supportive family base, Gertrude went on to receive an esteemed education at Queen’s College in London, followed by Lady Margaret Hall at Oxford

Gertrude Bell was born on 14 July in Washington, County Durham, destined to become what many believe to have been the greatest woman of her time.  Her family had risen over three generations from being Cumbrian sheep farmers to becoming innovative, successful (and hence very wealthy) colliers and ironmasters with progressive attitudes.  (Her father’s company built the famous Transporter Bridge over the River Tees.) 

Her family’s background and attitudes meant that Gertrude was adept at meeting all social classes on equal terms, whilst generally moving in well-connected circles.  Her uncle, for instance, was later the British ambassador to Persia (now Iran).  But Gertrude was never fully accepted by the aristocracy as her wealth derived from ‘trade’ rather than property and inheritance.  Equally, she had no wish to join the aristocracy.  When her grandfather was made a Baronet she commented that “he quite deserves it only I wish it could have been offered and refused”.

Childhood and Education

In the first of many tragedies and set-backs in her life, Gertrude’s mother died when she was 3.   Her father remarried and he and his new wife had three children, so Gertrude, who already had one brother, became the eldest of five.  She was very athletic, willful, adventurous, impetuous and brave, and so got into numerous scrapes as well as enjoying throwing her dog into a pond every day because ‘he does hate it so much’. 

As she got older she also became obviously very clever as well as opinionated, and quick at light repartee, so she projected a sense of inner strength unmatched by other young women in her circle.  Her biographer notes that she was often angered by the incomprehension of ‘normal’ people, and their inability to base their views on accepted facts and other evidence.  These qualities, together with her aptitude for work, turned her into an outstanding pupil at Queen's College, Harley Street, London, a leading girls' school, and at La

May 21,

Finest Hour , Second Quarter

Page 18

By David Freeman

David Freeman is editor of Finest Hour.

For more information, please visit Newcastle University’s Gertrude Bell Archive online at

Gertrude Bell was one of the most amazing people about whom you probably know very little. Although she is mentioned in all of the standard Churchill biographies as being one of those who advised the Colonial Secretary during the seminal Cairo Conference, she become overshadowed in history by one of the other advisers Churchill had with him, T. E. Lawrence.

Undoubtedly, Hollywood is partly to blame. In her own time, Bell was much better known than Lawrence. That started to change in early , when American journalist Lowell Thomas launched his retooled live presentation With Allenby in Palestine and Lawrence in Arabia, making the enigmatic Lawrence the star of the show. The legend was born.

Forty years later, the legend of Lawrence eclipsed all but Churchill among his contemporaries with the spectacular success of David Lean’s Oscar-winning film Lawrence of Arabia. Only in did Hollywood get around to making a movie about Bell. It flopped. Despite having a first-rate cast featuring Nicole Kidman in the lead, a generous budget, and dazzling scenery, the storyline lacked focus. Queen of the Desert sank so quickly that few ever knew it existed. Bell deserved better.

Progressive Patrician

Gertrude Margaret Lowthian Bell was born in County Durham on 14 July Her grandfather, Sir Isaac Lowthian Bell, had made a vast fortune in the iron industry, which led him to become both a baronet and a Liberal Member of Parliament. Sir Isaac and his son Hugh, the second baronet and father of Gertrude, both had progressive views by the standards of the time. This opened the way for Gertrude to attend Lady Margaret Hall and become the first woman ever to earn a first class honours degree in Modern History at Oxford.

Bell’s fierce energy and intelligence enabled