Historical information

The "letters to Lillie" show the international nature of the Mission to Seafarers. They are an important display of the handwriting style of the time, revealing courting attempts and give us an insight into life in 1925.

Significance

Lillie Duncan was a member of the Harbour Lights Guild and this letter forms part of a collection of letters sent to her by different seafarers.

Physical description

Letter addressed to Miss L Duncan, 11 Paxton St, East Malvern, Melbourne, Australia from Howard in four parts:
Part 1.1 (0008.1) Envelope
Part 1.2 (0008.2) First page of letter
Part 1.3 (0008.3) Second page of letter
Part 1.4 (0008.4) Third page of letter
The envelope is blue grey in colour whilst the pages are creamy yellow in colour.
Page 1 of the letter begins with the salutation "My dear Lillie, here comes the promised letter...".
Page 2 of the letter begins with "...in her birthday book".
Page 3 of the letter concludes with "...yours Joe".

Inscriptions & markings

The envelope is torn across the top for access to its contents. It has two stamps, a circular one in black ink towards the top left of the envelope reading "Durban, 2, May 21, 5.45AM, 1925", and a rectangular one coloured red and white reading "Union of South Africa, Postage, 2d" on the left-hand side of the circle and the right-hand side circle seems to say the same in South African perhaps. It is obscured by 6 large ink lines covering the top portion of the envelope from left to right. Within the circle is a mans head showing his left side profile. He has a beard and short hair. On the right side of the red and white stamp there is a second ink stamp that is also obscured but seems to be the same ink stamp as the first.