A Woman in Arabia Read Online Free Page A

converted into U.S. dollars at a value of £1 = $1.60 (www.measuringwealth.com, 2014).
    There are many people to thank for making this book possible. I was fortunate that John Siciliano at Penguin Random House wanted to include the writings of Gertrude Bell among the eminent publications in the Penguin Classics. I want to thank him and Emily Hartley in his office for their enthusiasm, guidance, and patience throughout. Nancy Bernhaut’s meticulous copyediting has brought consistency to the book, which draws on Gertrude’s huge and varied output ranging from political papers to family letters. Thanks also to artist Paul X. Johnson for the cover image of Gertrude Bell; it evokes wonderfully the character of the young Gertrude. Cartography for the maps of Gertrude Bell’s journeys in the Middle East was done by Raymond Turvey.

Chronology
1807
Gertrude Bell’s great-grandfather Thomas Bell, the son of a blacksmith, manufactures alkali using a new chemical process at Walker near Newcastle upon Tyne
1809
Thomas Bell, with partners James Losh and George Wilson, opens an iron foundry at Walker
1816 February
Grandfather (Isaac) Lowthian Bell born on the 15th to Thomas and Katherine (née Lowthian), elder brother of John and Tom
1832 June
King William IV signs the First Reform Act to increase the franchise and address electoral corruption
1835
Lowthian joins his father’s ironworks at Walker, later becoming a partner
1837 June
Queen Victoria succeeds William IV on the 20th
1842 July
Lowthian marries Margaret Pattinson on the 20th
1844 February
Gertrude’s father (Thomas) Hugh Bell, born at Walker on the 10th; future elder brother of Charles, Mary (Maisie), Florence, Ada, and Sophie
 
Gertrude’s mother, Maria (Mary) Shield, born
Lowthian creates a new company, Bell Brothers, with Thomas and John to operate the Wylam Ironworks, Port Clarence, Middlesbrough
1845
Lowthian takes control of Walker ironworks upon the death of his father
1850
Lowthian opens Washington Chemical Company with father-in-law, metallurgical chemist Hugh Lee Pattinson FRS, and brother-in-law
The company pioneers steel rope and undersea cable manufacture with Robert S. Newall (company becomes Brunner Mond, 1872)
1851 September
GLB’s future stepmother, Florence, born on the 9th to Dr. Sir Joseph and Lady Olliffe (née Cubitt) in Paris
May–October
Great Exhibition at Crystal Palace, London, receives 6 million visitors from May 1 to October 3
1852
Bell Brothers begins iron production at the new Clarence Ironworks
1854
Lowthian elected Lord Mayor of Newcastle (and again in 1863); begins building new home, Washington New Hall (the old hall being the birthplace of George Washington)
1858 August
On the 16th, first message sent by cable across the Atlantic; half the cable length made by Lowthian Bell’s Washington works
1859
Lowthian opens Britain’s first factory to manufacture aluminum at Washington; tours Newcastle wearing a top hat of aluminum, which was more expensive than gold
1865
Lowthian incorporates his Cleveland Railway into the North Eastern Railway Company (later London and North Eastern Railway)
1867 April
Hugh Bell marries Maria (Mary) Shield on the 23rd
1868 July
Gertrude Margaret Lowthian Bell (GLB) born at grandfather’s home, Washington New Hall, on the 14th
1869
Lowthian Bell is founding organizer of the British Iron and Steel Institute
1870
Hugh Bell and family move to newly built Red Barns, Redcar, near Middlesbrough
1870
Franco-Prussian War; Olliffe family evacuate from British embassy in Paris as Prussians approach
1871 March
GLB’s brother, Maurice Hugh Lowthian Bell, born on the 29th
April
Mother dies on the 19th, aged 27; Hugh’s sister Ada manages household
1872
Lowthian Bell starts building Rounton Grange on newly acquired estate near Northallerton
1874
Hugh Bell elected mayor of Middlesbrough
Lowthian Bell elected Fellow of the Royal Society
February–June
Lowthian also