Register of the Sir Robert Hamilton Bruce Lockhart papers

Finding aid prepared by Finding aid prepared by Rebecca J. Mead, revised by Aparna Mukherjee, revised by Beth Goder, 2013

Hoover Institution Library and Archives

434 Galvez Mall

Stanford University

Stanford, CA 94305-6003

hoover-library-archives@stanford.edu

URL: http://www.hoover.org/library-and-archives

Title: Sir Robert Hamilton Bruce Lockhart papers

Date (inclusive): 1895-2003

Collection Number: 85039

Contributing Institution: Hoover Institution Library and Archives

Language of Material: English

Physical Description: 11 manuscript boxes, 2 oversize box, 1 oversize folder (5.2 Linear Feet)

Abstract: Correspondence, speeches and writings, diaries, notes, memoranda, photographs, and memorabilia, relating to miscellaneous aspects of Anglo-Soviet relations during the Russian Revolution, British espionage in the Soviet Union during the Russian Revolution, miscellaneous aspects of British government activities during World War II (including Anglo-Czechoslovak relations), and personal affairs. Includes many letters by Baroness Moura Budberg, some letters by British espionage agent Sidney Reilly, and some material about him collected by Lockhart's son, Robin Bruce Lockhart.

Creator: Lockhart, Robert Hamilton Bruce, 1887-1970

Creator: Budberg, Moura

Creator: Reilly, Sidney George, 1874-1925

Creator: Lockhart, Robin Bruce

Physical Location: Hoover Institution Library & Archives

Access

The collection is open for research; materials must be requested in advance via our reservation system. If there are audiovisual or digital media material in the collection, they must be reformatted before providing access.

Use

For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Acquisition Information

Acquired by the Hoover Institution Library & Archives in 1985.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Sir Robert Hamilton Bruce Lockhart papers, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Alternate Forms Available

Digital copies of select records also available at https://digitalcollections.hoover.org.

Biographical Note

1887 September 2	Born, Anstruther, Scotland
1912-1915	Vice-Consul, British Foreign Service, Moscow
1915-1917	Acting Consul-General, British Foreign service, Moscow
1918 January	Head of Special Mission to the Soviet Government
1918 Sept.-Oct.	Arrested by the Bolsheviks; released and exchanged for Maxim Litvinov
1919-1922	Commercial Secretary to British Legation, Prague, Czechoslovakia
1922-1928	Worked in banking in Central Europe
1929-1937	Member, Editorial Staff, Evening Standard (London)
1932	Author, Memoirs of a British Agent
1934	Author, Retreat from Glory
1936	Author, Return to Malaya
1937	Author, My Scottish Youth
1938	Author, Guns or Butter?
1939-1940	Director-General, Political Intelligence Department, British Foreign Office
1940-1941	British Representative with Provisional Czechoslovak government in London
1941-1945	Deputy Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, British Foreign Office and Director-General of Political Warfare Executive
1943	Knighted, Order of St. Michael and St. George
1947	Author, Comes the Reckoning
1948	Author, My Rod My Comfort
1950	Author, The Marines Were There
1951	Author, Scotch
	Author, <title render="italic">Ján Masaryk</title>
1952	Author, My Europe
1955	Author, Your England
1957	<title render="italic">Friends, Foes and Foreigners</title>
	Author, <title render="italic">The Two Revolutions</title>
1960	Author, Giants Cast Long Shadows
1970 February 27	Died, Hove, England

Scope and Content Note

The Robert Bruce Hamilton Lockhart papers consist of correspondence, diaries, memoranda, notes, speeches and writings, photographs, and memorabilia, relating to miscellaneous aspects of Anglo-Soviet relations during the Russian Revolution, British espionage in the Soviet Union during the Russian Revolution, miscellaneous aspects of British government activities during World War II (including Anglo-Czechoslovak relations), and personal affairs. Also included is some material about Lockhart collected by his son, Robin Bruce Lockhart.

The Biographical file includes material on Lockhart's role in the counter-revolutionary "Lockhart Plot" against the Soviet Union. This scheme to overthrow the Bolshevik government, with help from Sidney Reilly, resulted in Lockhart's arrest and subsequent sentencing to death on charges of espionage and sabotage. The Subject file contains information relating to the Chester Concession, which was a grant awarded by the Turkish National Assembly in 1923 April to the Ottoman-American Development Company giving it the right to develop Turkish natural resources, and a report on the role of the Polish government in Boris Savinkov's conspiracy against the Soviet Union.

The Sidney Reilly file contains material collected by Lockhart about this British espionage agent. It includes letters to and from Reilly, as well as a 1968 article about the search for Reilly. A related item in the Correspondence is a 1932 letter from Baroness Moura Budberg indicating that Reilly might still be alive.

The Great Britain Foreign Office documents series consists of dispatches relating to the situation in Czechoslovakia in 1946-1948. The bulk is from the British Embassy in Prague to the Foreign Office in London, but some from British Embassies elsewhere in Europe and the Soviet Union are included. Security-classified documents have been removed from this series, as required by law, until they can be declassified by government officials.

The Incremental materials series is arranged following the arrangement of the rest of the collection. These materials include the papers of Robin N. Bruce Lockhart, son of Robert H. Bruce Lockhart, who wrote a book about Sidney Reilly titled Ace of Spies.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Soviet Union -- History -- Revolution, 1917-1921

Great Britain -- Foreign relations -- Soviet Union

Soviet Union -- Foreign relations -- Great Britain

World War, 1939-1945 -- Great Britain

World War, 1939-1945 -- Czechoslovakia

Secret service -- Great Britain

Espionage, British -- Soviet Union

Great Britain. Foreign Office

Biographical file 1911-1963

Scope and Contents note

Article, brochure, certificates, letter, memoranda, passes, passports, report, and miscellany, arranged alphabetically by physical form

box 1, folder 1

Article by Victor Kravchenko undated

Scope and Contents note

Article on Robert Lockhart's role in counter-revolutionary plot against the Soviet Union, based on the author's interview with Ján Buinis. Contains a photographic reproduction of a note by Robert Lockhart requesting all personnel concerned to offer any assistance possible to Ján Buinis during his mission to "British Headquarters in Russia," 1912

box 1, folder 2

Brochure to promote a movie based on British Agent by Robert Lockhart 1934 September

box 1, folder 3

Certificate of confirmation issued by the British Church of St. Andrew, Moscow 1912 May

box 1, folder 4

Certificate awarding the K.C.M.G. (Knight Commander of the Order of St. Michael and St. George) 1943

Scope and Contents note

Includes three letters relating to this membership, including a preliminary invitation from the Prime Minister's office, 1942-1962. Signed by George VI, the Earl of Athlone, and the Earl of Clarendon.

box 1, folder 5

Civil service examination 1911 July

Scope and Contents note

Printed copy

box 1, folder 6

Letter from the Austrian Minister in London transmitting appointment as Honorary Consul General in London for Austria 1927 May

box 1, folder 7

Memorandum from Robert Lockhart to Arthur Balfour on the internal situation in the Soviet Union. See Declassified British government records (box 12, folder 7). 1918 November

box 1, folder 8

Memorandum from the U.S. Army recommending Sir Robert Bruce Lockhart for the Medal of Merit 1945 September 21

box 1, folder 9

Passes 1944-1945

box 1, folder 10

Passports 1918-1963

box 1, folder 11

Report on the "Lockhart Plot," with depositions of the accused 1918 November 30

Scope and Contents note

Holograph

box 1, folder 12

Miscellany undated

Scope and Contents note

Includes signatures of Robin N. Bruce Lockhart, son of Robert Lockhart, and others.

Correspondence 1895-1971

Scope and Contents note

Letters and telegrams both received or written by Lockhart, and including some letters neither to nor from him, arranged alphabetically by correspondent

General

box 1, folder 13

Childhood letters 1895

box 1, folder 14

Telegrams to Robert Lockhart 1934

box 1, folder 15

Unidentified

Scope and Contents note

Includes Easter greetings to Robert Lockhart, n.d.; 3 postcards neither from nor to Robert Lockhart, ca. 1916; and a postcard to Robert Lockhart received at Evening Standard, 1935

box 1, folder 16

Bark, Peter, Sir 1936

box 1, folder 17

Beneš, Edvard 1940-1945

Scope and Contents note

Photocopies and Christmas greetings

box 1, folder 18

Bracken, Brendan 1948

box 1, folder 19

Buchanan, George, Sir 1926

Budberg, Moura, Baroness

box 1, folder 20

Undated

box 1, folder 21

circa 1915-1918

box 1, folder 22

circa 1919-1959

box 1, folder 23

After 1924 (probably)

box 1, folder 24

Caccia, Harold, Sir 1964

box 1, folder 25

Carol, King of Romania, to President Edvard Beneš 1941

box 1, folder 26

Eden, Anthony 1939-1945

box 1, folder 27

Einzig, Paul 1971

box 1, folder 28

Kerensky, Aleksandr 1956

box 1, folder 29

Lascelles, Alan 1966

box 1, folder 30

Lockhart, Rob, Lt.-Gen., Sir 1956

Lockhart, Robin Bruce 1923-1969

box 1, folder 31

Undated

General note