Allan writes that in order to reach Australia he signed on to the Mongabarra at San Pedro but when the ship reached San Francisco he had to sign off and let the seaman, who had been ordered before Allan signed on in San Pedro, take his place. Had he been able to stay with the ship he would have been in Australia by Christmas.Quinn CollectionPale green self-folding letter written with green ink (0826), headed San Francisco and dated 22/10/49.The letter is from Allan to his mother.letters-from-abroad, quinn, 1949, mongabarra

Allan writes about his photography course and living in London.Quinn CollectionA letter written in green ink on three sheets of very thin paper folded in book form (0887.1a-3). There is writing on six 'pages'. Letter is headed London and dated 23/09/51. The matching envelope (0887.b) is addressed to Mrs K Hayes, 14 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda, Victoria, Australia. It is postmarked London W1 and bears one purple and one brown United Kingdom stamp . The return address, written on the back, is Allan Quinn, 37 Elsam Road, London W14. Envelope is torn down the left hand side.letters-from-abroad, allan quinn, alette andersen, london-uk

Quinn CollectionBlue self-folding letter (0394) type-written by Allan and addressed to Mrs S Quinn. Letter dated 31.0.48, post-marked Philadelphia 1948 and pre-franked with red ink.letters-from-abroad, m.s. fenris, allan quinn

Quinn CollectionBlue self-folding letter (0801) written by Allan and addressed to Mrs S Quinn. Letter dated 14-01-49, written at sea on M.S. Fenris and post-marked Baltimore.letters-from-abroad, quinn

Allan writes of Christmas in London. He spent twelve days prior to Christmas day working in the Post Office delivering parcels in a hired truck with three others. They worked from six in the morning until seven at night every day of the week. From going to the Newsreels he has learnt of bush-fires raging in New South Wales and that Australia has retained the Davis Cup.Quinn CollectionA pale blue self-folding letter (0892.a1) headed 37 Elsham Road, London W 14 and dated 2/01/52. Letter is typed using a very small font. It is addressed to Mrs K Hayes, 14 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda, Victoria, Australia and postmarked London W1. The return address is Allan Quinn, 37 Elsham Road, London W14.letters-from-abroad, allan quinn, alette andersen, london-uk, bush fires in new south wales, davis cup 1952

Quinn CollectionBlue self-folding letter (0393) written by Allan and addressed to Mrs S Quinn. Letter headed 'New York, 20.10.48, post-marked Brooklyn N.Y. 1948 and franked with red ink.letters-from-abroad, new york, allan quinn

Allan writes of his trip on the Continent and of meeting with Alette in Norway.Quinn CollectionA pale blue self-folding letter (0917.a1) headed London and dated 7/07/53. Letter is written in blue ink. It is addressed to Mrs K Hayes, 14 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda, Victoria, Australia and postmarked London S.W.1. This is a special air letter produced by the Post Office to commemorate the coronation. Printed in red, to the left of the address, it comprises a spray of four flowers representing Wales, England, Scotland and Ireland above the letters ER. Below that is 1953 and the word 'coronation' in white on a red ribbon. The return address is Allan Quinn, C/- Australia House, London. letters-from-abroad, allan quinn, alette andersen, vera south

Quinn CollectionThree-page, single-sided letter on unlined paper (0364a1-a3) written to Allan dated 10/12/47. The letter is from Seus Somberg, on board H.M.Tylgia, at sea, with airmail envelope (0364.b). "Hello Allan! . . . . . . .Your old shipmate Seus Somberg".letters-from-abroad, quinn, seus somberg, h m tylgia

Quinn CollectionBlue air-letter (0392) written by Allan and addressed to Mrs S Quinn. Letter headed 'New York, September 30', post-marked Brooklyn N.Y. 1948 and franked using red ink.Air-letter has been re-addressed from 140 Brunswick Road, West Brunswick to 5 Pollington Street, St. Kilda, Victorialetters-from-abroad, quinn, new york

Allan writes of his trip from New York with five others in a 1942 Plymouth. He describes "..magnificent highways..", the very hot weather, and that "New Mexico and Arizona have been the most spectacular states with their deserts and mountains and colours".Quinn CollectionPale green self-folding letter written with green ink (0823), headed Yuma, Arizona and dated 02/10/49.The letter is from Allan to his mother.letters-from-abroad, quinn, 1949, new mexico, arizona

Quinn CollectionBlue air-letter (0391) written by Allan from New York and addressed to Mrs S Quinn, West Brunswick. Letter, dated '21st Sept', is post-marked Brooklyn, New York 1948. It is franked 10c. quinn, 1948, new york, letters-from-abroad

Allan describes London following the death of King George VI. He witnessed the Proclamation of the Queen at the Royal Exchange. He writes "The Proclamation was read in four different parts of the city and about a hundred Lifeguards escorted the Royal carriages through the city." And ....."I also saw the procession from Kings Cross station to Westminister Hall when they brought the King back to London." He would have liked to walk past the coffin lying in state at Westminister Hall but the queue was three miles long and it took seven hours to get into the hall.Quinn CollectionA pale blue self-folding letter (0894.a1) headed 37 Elsham Road, London W 14 and dated 14/02/52. Letter is typed using a very small font. The print is faint and difficult to read. It is addressed to Mrs K Hayes, 14 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda, Victoria, Australia. There is no postmark. The return address is Allan Quinn, 37 Elsham Road, London W14.letters-from-abroad, allan quinn, alette andersen, death of king george vi, proclamation of queen elizabeth ii, london 1952

Allan is about to leave London and expects to arrive in Australia in six weeks time. His last visit to Albert Hall was to see the musical 'Hiawatha'.Quinn CollectionA pale blue self-folding letter (0918.a1) headed London and dated 15/07/53. Letter is written in blue ink. It is addressed to Mrs K Hayes, 14 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda, Victoria, Australia and postmarked London S.W.1. This is a special air letter produced by the Post Office to commemorate the coronation. Printed in red, to the left of the address, it comprises a spray of four flowers representing Wales, England, Scotland and Ireland above the letters ER. Below that is 1953 and the word 'coronation' in white on a red ribbon. The return address is Allan Quinn, C/- Australia House, London. letters-from-abroad, allan quinn, alette andersen, vera south, albert hall, musical 'hiawatha'

Allan writes that he has left the ship M S Mongabarra in Sweden and traveled by train to Oslo where he will stay for about 14 days before travelling to London. He has sent "...a very big carton, a smaller one - a trunk and coffee table back to Australia."Quinn CollectionA single sheet of very thin paper folded in half, book form, with writing on the first and third pages only (0854.a). Written in green ink it is headed Oslo and dated 14/12/50. The air-mail envelope (0854.b) is bordered with alternating purple and yellow diagonal stripes. There are three Norwegian stamps, one green and two purple, in the right upper corner. It is post-marked Oslo and addressed Mrs K Hayes, 14 Fitzroy Street, St. Kilda, Victoria, Australia. The letter is from Allan to his mother. letters-from-abroad, allan quinn, oslo

Allan writes of attending the last night of the show 'Carousel' and that 'South Pacific', with Mary Martin in the lead, is playing in London. They also went to Albert Hall to hear Eileen Joyce play. He is enjoying his photography course and looking forward to the food parcel his mother is sending, particularly the eggs as they can only get one a week.Quinn CollectionA pale blue self-folding letter (0888.a1) headed 37 Elsham Road, London W 14 and dated 3/11/51. Letter is typed using a very small font. It is addressed to Mrs K Hayes, 14 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda, Victoria, Australia and postmarked London W1. In the upper right hand corner is a very faint promotional stamp "Civil Defence". The return address is Allan Quinn, 37 Elsham Road, London W14. letters-from-abroad, allan quinn, alette andersen, london-uk, 'carousel', 'south pacific', eileen joyce, albert hall, london

Allan described his shore leave in Capetown. He writes that on the return trip to Gothenburg the ship will be calling in at the Belgium Congo, Antwerp and Copenhagen. He expects to arrive in Gothenburg in mid October.Quinn CollectionA self-folding letter written in green ink (0846.a), headed M.S. Mongabarra, Durban and dated 1/09/1950. The letter is addressed to Mrs E. Quinn. Postmarked Durban the postage is sixpence.letters-from-abroad, quinn, m.s. mongabarra, capetown, south africa

Allan writes of his time in New York and mentions some parcels he has sent to his mother, including one with a photo album of photos taken whilst aboard the 'Fenris'. As shipping is slow in New York he is planning to drive with three others from New York to Los Angeles.Quinn CollectionPale green self-folding letter written with green ink, headed New York and dated 19/09/49.The letter is from Allan to his mother.letters-from-abroad, quinn, 1949, new york

Allan writes it is three months now that he has been ashore waiting to sign onto another ship and most of his savings have been used up. He has met up with several old friends when their ships have docked in San Francisco. He has spent some time with is friend Norm Cowley, who has married and settled in San Francisco. Quinn CollectionPale green self-folding letter written with green ink (0831.a) headed San Francisco and dated 28/11/49.The letter is from Allan to his mother.letters-from-abroad, quinn, 1949, san francisco, norm cowley