By Wendy Slaninka (Granddaughter of James Leslie Starkey & Marjorie Starkey by their daughter Mary)
This is my second short article based on the family’s quite extensive scrapbook collection of photos and information about my grandfather James Leslie Starkey and his work as an archaeologist, with his colleagues Olga Tuffnell and Gerald Lankester Harding. My first post was on Leslie’s sister Olive and her contributions to Lachish based back home in England. This post discusses the team’s lives in camp, what their accommodation was like, how they lived and entertained themselves when not busy with actual archaeology. I have also included brief personal references to my family where applicable - Leslie, his wife Marjorie, known as Madge, and their children – John, Mary (my mother) and Jane. I hope you will find it of interest.
As the Institute of Archaeology are putting up blogposts on Gerald Lankester Harding’s private films, which they have recently acquired, I thought my articles would complement them and hopefully will link together to form the bigger picture. Amara Thornton has already touched upon the social lives in her post "Introducing Gerald Lankester Harding". I am sure there are more in the pipeline revealing yet more aspects of their lives!
* * * *
The accommodation on offer at the various digs hitherto had been for the most part rather basic – Flinders Petrie’s camps certainly weren’t known for being lavish. But what a difference when it came to Lachish – a Rolls Royce of camps in comparison, with the generous funding initially from Harris Dunscombe Colt and Sir Henry Wellcome, and later from Sir Charles Marston and Sir Robert Mond (and then finally by the Wellcome Trust completely). To begin with the accommodation was more modest, starting off in tents, but each year the Dig Site expanded and improved.
This is my second short article based on the family’s quite extensive scrapbook collection of photos and information about my grandfather James Leslie Starkey and his work as an archaeologist, with his colleagues Olga Tuffnell and Gerald Lankester Harding. My first post was on Leslie’s sister Olive and her contributions to Lachish based back home in England. This post discusses the team’s lives in camp, what their accommodation was like, how they lived and entertained themselves when not busy with actual archaeology. I have also included brief personal references to my family where applicable - Leslie, his wife Marjorie, known as Madge, and their children – John, Mary (my mother) and Jane. I hope you will find it of interest.
As the Institute of Archaeology are putting up blogposts on Gerald Lankester Harding’s private films, which they have recently acquired, I thought my articles would complement them and hopefully will link together to form the bigger picture. Amara Thornton has already touched upon the social lives in her post "Introducing Gerald Lankester Harding". I am sure there are more in the pipeline revealing yet more aspects of their lives!
* * * *
The accommodation on offer at the various digs hitherto had been for the most part rather basic – Flinders Petrie’s camps certainly weren’t known for being lavish. But what a difference when it came to Lachish – a Rolls Royce of camps in comparison, with the generous funding initially from Harris Dunscombe Colt and Sir Henry Wellcome, and later from Sir Charles Marston and Sir Robert Mond (and then finally by the Wellcome Trust completely). To begin with the accommodation was more modest, starting off in tents, but each year the Dig Site expanded and improved.
The Lachish Dig House. Photo: Ros Henry from Olga Tufnell's collection.
Here they lived in comparative comfort in the surprisingly large dig house, with open fires for chilly evenings (though they still needed hot water bottles in December). There were separate bedrooms for each member of the team, guest bedrooms, living areas, dining room complete with a white tablecloth, kitchen, laundry room (where Bedouin girls were taught to iron), workshops, drawing office, dispensary, garages, outbuildings and store rooms for the necessary work and storage of artefacts – and even a library!
Charles Inge in the Library. Photo: The British Museum.
The walls of the buildings were built of mud and stones and faced with a white lime plaster and the roofs corrugated iron. (These sometimes blew off in the wind – Olga lost hers on one occasion.) There was also a separate Wash House and toilet a little distance away. In its earlier, more rustic days, the toilet and wash area had a Union flag which was raised to warn of occupancy! They hadn’t however got quite so far as to have running water installed; this was brought in by camels to fill the tanks. The larger house on the extreme left was built to the specifications of Colt (one of the initial backers) but he pulled out after the first season – his interests drawn elsewhere.
The Dining Room – ‘The Wellcome Arms’ (note the photographs of Sir Charles Marston and Sir Robert Mond and wireless on the windowsill). Photo: The British Museum.
They had a wireless in the dining room, which they referred to as ‘The Wellcome Arms’ (in fact Madge’s Palestinian china teapot still survives unscathed together with some other bits and pieces of chinaware from that time). There were musical evenings, a piano, a gramophone and a ping pong table. Starkey and Harding even invented a magic lantern made out of biscuit tins to show their films on the wall. Harding's films include candid camera shots of Leslie, his wife Madge and their children, as well as himself, Olga and others, and footage of the archaeological work going on.
Gerald Lankester Harding giving Starkey a shave! Photo: The Palestine Exploration Fund.
They all relied on supplies sent by boxes from the UK which they eagerly awaited. They were often frustrated, not only by the delays involved, but also by the manhandling, and heavy vetting, by the Customs with many items inexplicably confiscated.
The Camp had an excellent cook, Mohammed Kreti, who had abandoned the Petries to be at Lachish (he had worked for them since he was a boy). Mohammed Kreti usually managed to obtain a good selection of food, including meat and fish and vegetables, as well as a decent variety of fruit which they supplemented with tinned food. Visitors also helped out in the kitchen from time to time, becoming self-appointed Housekeepers keeping a general eye on the domestic side of things, and a Mrs. Stingies apparently made marvellous cakes with a new fangled instrument which turned butter into cream.
The Camp had an excellent cook, Mohammed Kreti, who had abandoned the Petries to be at Lachish (he had worked for them since he was a boy). Mohammed Kreti usually managed to obtain a good selection of food, including meat and fish and vegetables, as well as a decent variety of fruit which they supplemented with tinned food. Visitors also helped out in the kitchen from time to time, becoming self-appointed Housekeepers keeping a general eye on the domestic side of things, and a Mrs. Stingies apparently made marvellous cakes with a new fangled instrument which turned butter into cream.
Young Mary particularly remembered watching the Bedouin women making their delicious unleavened flat breads on their querns. Photo: The British Museum.
The Bedouin workers, who would arrive each season, pitched their tents in the Lachish valley close to the main camp, and men, women and children would work on the dig. The children especially were rewarded if they found something special. They were very much a part of the life of the camp and Leslie was very involved in their life and welfare, often wandering into the camp to chat to the families and help with problems. He set up a field and eye hospital on site at Lachish with Olga’s aid for the workers and their families, which in time incorporated as well the villagers for miles around who were distrustful of hospitals but obviously felt safe at his clinic.
Olga at her eye hospital at Lachish. Photo: The British Museum.
Madge loved the Bedouins too, immersing herself in their culture and language, which she learnt, and their dress and music, even learning how to drum. Mary had a Palestinian Bedouin girl’s outfit and she remembered parading it at lectures her father gave back in England during the summer months (we believe the outfit is now in the Rockefeller Museum in Jerusalem). The workers didn’t work on Sundays and these were referred to as ‘Market Day’ or Suk Day and gave the team time to relax and follow their own leisure pursuits.
When the team were working for Petrie and at Lachish, they would go on expeditions and trips to local sites of interest and to village entertainments. When they could they would go bathing, especially when they were based at Gaza. From Lachish they also sometimes bathed at Askelon (the river emptying into the nearby estuary at Ashdod is now called the River Lachish), as well as in the flooded wadi at Lachish itself in the rainy season.
When they were in Jerusalem they often stayed and dined at the Hotel Fast, who became good friends with the personnel on site at Lachish, particularly Leslie. Most years the team would take an expedition into Eygpt too as well as other sites of interest such as Petra, and Byblos in Syria with its crusader castles. (On this subject – an amusing anecdote – Olga told Madge that on a ‘holiday travel break’ to Egypt, at sunset, at least 50 miles from anywhere, and not yet reached their destination, Leslie suddenly decided to alight from the car saying ‘This is a good light to look for flints’! And this is something he did on more than one occasion on their expeditions, much to the frustration of the other passengers.)
They created their own entertainments in the evenings and days off, celebrating their birthdays with cake and a party. They would sing carols at Christmas and toast the season with a festive tree (donated by Hotel Fast) and turkey – which they also had on other special occasions. They also held an annual fancy dress evening which was great fun. Here Leslie is dressed as the Bishop of Portsmouth* (his friend who visited Lachish) admonishing Madge as a Jezebel! On another occasion he dressed up as a Keeper of a Turkish Harem, and the God Serapis on another. Harding apparently would dress up in all sort of outrageous outfits, often in drag!
When the team were working for Petrie and at Lachish, they would go on expeditions and trips to local sites of interest and to village entertainments. When they could they would go bathing, especially when they were based at Gaza. From Lachish they also sometimes bathed at Askelon (the river emptying into the nearby estuary at Ashdod is now called the River Lachish), as well as in the flooded wadi at Lachish itself in the rainy season.
When they were in Jerusalem they often stayed and dined at the Hotel Fast, who became good friends with the personnel on site at Lachish, particularly Leslie. Most years the team would take an expedition into Eygpt too as well as other sites of interest such as Petra, and Byblos in Syria with its crusader castles. (On this subject – an amusing anecdote – Olga told Madge that on a ‘holiday travel break’ to Egypt, at sunset, at least 50 miles from anywhere, and not yet reached their destination, Leslie suddenly decided to alight from the car saying ‘This is a good light to look for flints’! And this is something he did on more than one occasion on their expeditions, much to the frustration of the other passengers.)
They created their own entertainments in the evenings and days off, celebrating their birthdays with cake and a party. They would sing carols at Christmas and toast the season with a festive tree (donated by Hotel Fast) and turkey – which they also had on other special occasions. They also held an annual fancy dress evening which was great fun. Here Leslie is dressed as the Bishop of Portsmouth* (his friend who visited Lachish) admonishing Madge as a Jezebel! On another occasion he dressed up as a Keeper of a Turkish Harem, and the God Serapis on another. Harding apparently would dress up in all sort of outrageous outfits, often in drag!
Camp capers - Leslie and Madge in fancy dress. Photo: Wendy Slaninka.
The workers often held feast days and put on singing and dancing and musical spectacles ‘fantasias’ for the camp with drummers and pipers, and jugglers. Sometimes there would be galloping horses and camels, swordsmen, and sitting on rugs round bonfires guests would be served hot sweet tea, sweetmeats and roasted sheep and rice. The camp would also sometimes be entertained by travelling gypsy musical troupes. Young Mary loved these events, fascinated by the exotic costumes of the ladies, and John remembers her dancing round the camp fire on many occasions. Olga commented on it too in a letter to Madge one season when Mary was not there (probably when Jane was due) hoping she hadn’t forgotten how to dance as they really missed her performances that season.
One season Madge taught everyone how to knit, men and women alike, both the members of the team and the Bedouins, who begged to be taught – it was quite a craze and everyone was at it, knitting stockings and jumpers. Olga commented that it was so funny watching the houseboys with their big hands trying to wield the needles. And when the Lachish Letters were unearthed Harding actually taught the ancient alphabet to the illiterate Bedouin workmen who soon began to write simple notes in the ancient script!
Leslie hosted many visitors and helpers to the Dig who stayed for varying lengths of time, and to whom he personally gave guided tours and was in his element giving explanations as to work in progress. These included the H.E. Crown Prince and Princess of Sweden – Lady Louise Mountbatten. Olga’s Mother visited for the season beginning in 1933, and Lady Petrie joined her at this time too. Sir Charles Marston also visited the same year with his wife and daughters, and Sir Robert Mond and both their pictures were hurriedly hung in The Wellcome Arms prior to their arrival! (see picture above) Once ‘this century’s most amazing discovery’ (the Lachish Letters) was published, the floodgates opened.
Leslie hosted many visitors and helpers to the Dig who stayed for varying lengths of time, and to whom he personally gave guided tours and was in his element giving explanations as to work in progress. These included the H.E. Crown Prince and Princess of Sweden – Lady Louise Mountbatten. Olga’s Mother visited for the season beginning in 1933, and Lady Petrie joined her at this time too. Sir Charles Marston also visited the same year with his wife and daughters, and Sir Robert Mond and both their pictures were hurriedly hung in The Wellcome Arms prior to their arrival! (see picture above) Once ‘this century’s most amazing discovery’ (the Lachish Letters) was published, the floodgates opened.
Starkey with a party of visitors from Austria - Madge and Mary are also pictured. Photo: Wendy Slaninka.
The front courtyard was eventually surrounded by a wall and gate and a variety of vegetation was planted round the site. Olga in particular created quite a flower and vegetable garden round the buildings with local and imported seeds including the local red anemones and narcissi and daisies, and they also planted a row of cypresses as well as acacia, spruce, fir, eucalyptus and almond seedlings. One Almond tree was John’s which he personally looked after and Olga wrote to tell him of its advancement when he was not there. Mary loved the red anemones, scented nightstock, cyclamens and other flowers that covered the Tell after the rainy season, and often mentioned them. She really liked the desert landscape and the little tortoises she would find.
Young John with Sadiq, the Egyptian houseboy and Fatmah, John’s Bedawi nanny. Photo: John Starkey.
The Starkey children too embraced life in camp. There are many photos of them at Lachish with their entourage of nannies. Leslie and Madge brought many of their toys out to Palestine and as the ‘Boss’s son’ John had an endless supply of Bedouin boys to play with! He also remembers being taken for an exciting ride in the countryside by a visiting Sheikh, on the back of his stallion. One season one of the Bedouin camels had a white calf and Mary obviously viewed it as her own as she had written on the back of this photograph ‘My camel’.
They did have cats in the camp at Lachish and Harding had a dog called ‘Lachish’ in the final season which he left with Olga, which she was pleased about as he would bark furiously at anyone who neared.
They did have cats in the camp at Lachish and Harding had a dog called ‘Lachish’ in the final season which he left with Olga, which she was pleased about as he would bark furiously at anyone who neared.
The Sunday Pictorial, November 1938. Photo: Wendy Slaninka.
Interesting Titbit: Barbara Parker worked for Starkey for one year doing field work and also later worked on the Lachish publications. She was also secretary to Max Mallowan, Agatha Christie's second husband, an archaeologist who worked as assistant to Sir Leonard Woolley. When Agatha died, Max married Barbara!
*The Bishop of Portsmouth conducted Leslie’s Remembrance Service at Westminster.
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