of you who are philatelists will no doubt be able to summon up the names of Sir Charles Johnson Brooke and

Sa e of the three White Rajahs of a small stamp issuing country on the northwest corner of the island of Borneo. For of you not so versed in the postal systems and issuances of long defunct countries, here is an adventurers tale:

mes Brooke (the 1st White Rajah) was born in Secrore, a suburb of Benares, India of an English father and a Scot her, and educated in England at the Norwich School. Brooke travelled to Burma with the army of the British East I pany in 1825, and was seriously wounded during the Anglo-Burmese War of 1825 and sent back to England to rec ng his convalescence he was exposed to the writings of Sir Stamford Raffles. It was Raffles, who in 1822, bought and of Singapore and helped to anchor the nascent British attempts to unseat the Dutch from their long held tradi mony in the East Indies. What is today the nation of Malaysia was then (from a British point of view) a scattering of ed outposts down Malaya's west coast, later to become known as the Straits Settlements. The British were still la ng their way past Borneo, through the South China Sea, and towards China and their future signature Far East ou Hong Kong.

0, Brooke arrived back in Madras and attempted a small trading company with little success. In 1835, his father di him 30,000, which he used as capital to purchase a 142-ton schooner, "The Royalist". Here the story seems to s ying according to which source you view, but essentially in 1838/39 he set sail for Borneo. He arrived off the coas hwest Borneo and sailed up the Sarawak River to Kuching, reportedly to deliver a letter thanking Pengiran Benda

im, uncle and regent to the sultan of Brunei, for his help in rescuing some shipwrecked British sailors. Upon his ar Hassim was in the middle of responding to a Dayak uprising. Brooke interceded and brought a peaceful settlemen

ving that a British influence might counteract that of the Dutch, and as a reward for suppressing the revolt, the Sul i gave Brooke a grant of land and on September 24, 1841 appointed him the Governor of Sarawak and later, on A 1842, he was awarded the title of Rajah (King). James Brooke, at the age of 38, found himself a king in a land far which was rife with piracy and head hunters. The Sarawak river and its tributaries was the only form of travel throu jungle, and Brooke found himself having to get past the pirating Sea Dayaks at its mouth before being able to ba quarters upriver at the village of Kuching. Inland the native situation was also complicated by the Iban headhunter as successful in countering these practices and bringing order to the life of the region. He returned to England in 1 re he was given the Freedom of the City of London, appointed Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Labuan, Br -General in Borneo and was created a KCB by Queen Victoria. In 1850 America recognized Sarawak as an indep state, as did the British, in 1864.

"Sir" James Brooke set about reforming the government and created a civil service which recruited European, m officers to run district outstations as Residents. Brooke retained many of the customs and symbols of Malay mon combined them with his own style of rule. The Rajah had the power to introduce laws and also acted as chief judg ching. The Brooke's were determined to prevent the peoples of Sarawak from being 'exploited' by Western busine interests and formed The Borneo Company to assist in managing the economy.

began the dynasty of the White Rajahs who ruled Sarawak for hundred years. When Brooke died in 1868, Sarawa wn three fold, headhunting and piracy were curtailed, there was only one European company in the country, and tr ly Chinese, was taking root. Following Sir James death, his nephew, Charles Anthony Johnson Brooke (the 2nd W ) began a long reign of prosperity and expansion. He was succeeded in turn, in 1917, by his son, Charles Vyner B 3rd White Rajah). The territory was greatly expanded under these three as more territory was leased or annexed i. The Brooke dynasty became famous as the "White Rajahs" and accorded a status within the British Empire sim f the Indian Princes. Governing with the aid of the Muslim Malay, they enlisted Ibans and Dayak as a contingent m encouraged the immigration of Chinese merchants but forbade them to settle outside of towns in order to minimiz impact on the native way of life. Biographical Note The Rajah of Sarawak, Sir Charles Anthony Johnson-Brooke (June 3, 1829 May 17, 1917)

les Anthony Johnson, was born in Berrow Vicarage, Burnham, Somerset, in England, to the Rev. Francis Charles Frances Johnson, (Rajah Sir James Brooke's younger sister). Charles was educated in England and entered the He adopted his uncle James's name and entered his service in 1852 as Resident at the Lundu station. In 1865, J d Charles as his successor. Charles married Margareth Alice Lili de Windt on the 28th October 1869 and she was title of Ranee of Sarawak with the style of Her Highness 28th October 1869. They had six children. Charles cont ork his uncle had started, suppressing piracy, slavery, and head-hunting while encouraging trade and developmen ding his borders as the opportunity arose. In 1891 he established the Sarawak Museum, the first museum in Born e of his death, Britain had granted Sarawak protectorate status, it had a parliamentary government and a railway, been discovered. He was succeeded by his son, Sir Charles Vyner Brooke who ceded Sarawak to the British Crow 1946. All three White Rajahs are buried in St Leonard's Church in the village of Sheepstor on Dartmoor.

me interesting sidebars: One of Oscar Wilde's fairy-tales, "The Young King", is dedicated to "Margareth, Lady Broo ee of Sarawak". It is suggested that Conrads Lord Jim is somewhat apocryphally based upon this real life story. might also be made that Kiplings The Man Who Would Be King would certainly also be a candidate (among othe inspiration.

g is the capital of the East Malaysian State of Sarawak and the most populous city in the state of Sarawak and the

st city in Malaysia. It was elevated to city status on 1 August 1988. The climate in Kuching is tropical, hot, and rec bstantial rainfall. The average annual rainfall is approximately 4,000 mm or 160 inches. Kuching is the wettest city Malaysia.

Documents signed by any of the Brooke's as Rajah and during their reigns are scarce. While this document shows some considerable wear, an analysis of its history as documented by the multitude of English and Chines docketing marks, Land Office registrations, Court Seals, and notarial attestations shows that this ended up being an important deed of title despite the smallness of the plot (17feet x 46feet) being "No. 4 Rock Road". The initial deed - for what can only be described as an imperial perspective - is for 900 years! It is dated 21 August 1883. I appears title was contested in 1908 when the case went to the Supreme Court of Sarawak. The English handwritten notation of the back states "On Settlement of the affairs of Chiap Ghee Soon? by Arbitration. The herein ??? grant was awarded to Sim Chiap ??. Supreme Court book [Chinese characters] Kuching 14th February 1908. It is accompanied by a signature and the Supreme Court Seal. There is also a notation that on the 17th of February 1908 this title was re-registered in the land office. The next action seems to have been on 21st May in the 1920's where a partially torn registration note indicates its next transfer to an unknown holder. Then in March of 1937 it was presented by the Chartered Bank in support of its claim and on March 18, 1937 this title was cancelled. There are a number of Chinese character dockets and attestations as well. Considering that this document has survived these many years in the wettest city in Malaysia, it has done quite well. A very curious, entertaining and scarce signed document from a White Rajah of Sarawak, Sir Charles Anthony Johnson Brooke.

Top half of reverse side (blank below this on page)

Document Specifications: This document consists of one large sheet of wove paper measuring 305mm wi 460mm high or 12" x 18" a. It is autograph signed "C. Brooke, Rajah" and dated August 21st, 1883. Condition: F age with several heavy file folds, some oxidation marks, a small tape remnant on upper right and two partially re docketing notes. Offered by Berryhill & Sturgeon, Ltd.

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