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Auction: 25112 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 428

The remarkable 'Curse of King Tut' campaign pair awarded to 2nd Lieutenant H. G. Evelyn-White, 6th Battalion, Lancashire Regiment

A noted scholar and archaeologist who worked with Howard Carter uncovering the legendary Tomb of Tutankhamen

Evelyn-White's tragic suicide was to become one of the deaths which inspired the legend of the curse of King Tut

British War and Victory Medals (2. Lieut. H. G. E. White.), good very fine (2)

Hugh Gerard Evelyn-White was born at Ipswich, Suffolk on 18 June 1884, the son of Charles and Charlotte Evelyn-White. Studying at King's School, Ely and Wadham College, Oxford University he joined the Metropolitan Museum of New York's Egypt Expedition in 1909. Whilst there he worked as an archaeologist under H. E. Winlock at al-Bagawat in the Khargah Oasis and then at West Thebes. He was also active as a scholar and research, notably publishing a translation of Hesiod's Works And Days in 1914.

Evelyn-White was one of those swept up in the patriotic fervour outbreak of the Great War, attesting as a Private in the 19th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers on 18 September 1914. Unfortunately he was declared anaemic and discharged by December 1914, undaunted he applied for a commission which saw him commissioned 2nd Lieutenant on 25 November 1915.

Entering the war at some stage after 1916 he served with them in Egypt and Palestine before again being invalided prior to their move to France in 1917. Evelyn-White returned to archaeology and, in 1922, was one of the men who answered Howard Carter's call to dig in the Valley of the King's. In what was to be the final digging season with the patronage of Lord Carnarvon.

The story of what follows is legendary and doubtless Evelyn-White witnessed many remarkable things inside the tomb of Tutankhamen. However what is known for certain is that he returned to England not long after the dig to take up the role of a lecturer at Leeds University. Whilst here Evelyn-White appears to have taken up a relationship of some kind with a woman by the name of Helen Nind. The Otago Daily Times takes up the story stating:

'Suicide in Taxi-Cab

Death of Mr Evelyn-White

At the inquest on Mr H. G. Evelyn-White a verdict of suicide while of unsound mind was returned. A brother said that the deceased a week ago was very upset and told him that Miss Nind had been pursuing him. He told her that he had no affection for her. Miss Nind had threatened to commit suicide'.

Tragically it seems Miss Nind was more serious in her threat than Evelyn-White had anticipated and followed through with her promise, swallowing carbolic acid. The death of his friend so appalled Evelyn-White that when he was subpoenaed to appear at the inquest he killed himself in the cab on 9 September 1924.

Naturally coming so soon after his involvement in the excavation of Tutankhamen's Tomb and the rash of strange deaths that followed he is often held up as one of the victim's of the Curse of King Tut. It might well be argued under the circumstances that same should be said of Helen Nind, whose death spark Evelyn-White's fateful decision; sold together with copied research.

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Sold for
£450

Starting price
£130