Gertrude Bell

The British Institute for the Study of Iraq (Gertrude Bell Memorial) Council wishes to pay tribute and gratitude to Gertrude Bell, who died a hundred years ago on 12 July, 1926 in Baghdad.  Her vision brought about the establishment of the British School of Archaeology in Iraq through a legacy in her will and an additional legacy donation from her father Sir Hugh Bell.  The School was formally established in 1932 through an Appeal, led by a number of prominent individuals and chaired by Sir Percy Cox. 

See the first report and accounts with notice of the general meeting held in 1932 here.

In recognition of the importance of Gertrude Bell to the BISI and Iraq, the Institute held a one-day conference in 2013 entitled ‘Gertrude Bell and Iraq: A Life and Legacy’ in collaboration with the Gertrude Bell Archives at Newcastle University and the British Academy. Audio recordings of the conference can be found here. 

The directors of the 2016 film ‘Letters from Baghdad’ Zeva Oelbaum and Sabine Krayenbuehl have provided a list of UK screenings of their film to mark this anniversary of her death (many screenings have taken place already):

• July 17-23, Leatherhead Theatre, UK
• July 31-Aug 2, Coral Gables Art Cinema, US, Q&A with directors
• Aug 4-6, Barn Dartington, UK
• Aug 21/22/17, Firstsite Colchester, UK

It is also currently available to stream online in the UK on BBC iPlayer and Prime Video, as well as on Vimeo worldwide and in the US and Canada on Prime Video, AppleTV and PBS.

From 3-24  August an exhibit on Gertrude Bell entitled ‘Routes, Ruins and Reconnaissance’ takes place at the Royal Geographic Society exploring her archaeological and geographical work. Miss Bell was one of the first women to be elected a fellow of the RGS in 1913, later receiving the prestigious RGS Founder’s Medal in 1918 “for her important explorations and travels in Asia Minor, Syria, Arabia and on the Euphrates”. For more information, visit the RGS exhibition page here.