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 Lillie Duncan, 11 Paxton St, East Malvern, Melbourne, Australia from Julius Kokx, U.S.S. Medusa, c/o Postmaster, San Francisco, 5th Div Calif. consisting of eleven parts:
Part 0070.1 Envelope
Part 0070.2 Medusa Mechanic Newsletter
Parts 0070.3 - 0070.11 Handwritten letter
The envelope is cream in colour with darker edges from aging whilst the pages are a lighter cream colour. Page 1 of the letter begins with the salutation "Dear Miss Duncan: I recieved both...".Page 2 of the letter begins with "girls in Melbourne. you are the only one...". Page 3 begins with "it but found out it...". Page 4 begins with "a girl like you...". Page 5 begins with "married. So what's a...". Page 6 begins with "and as goof as we...". Page 7 begins with "in and you must...". Page 8 begins with "Have a place to sit..." Page 9 begins with "it will be a long..." and ends with the salutation "The kind sailor as you call him x. Julius Knox." All pages of the letter are only written on one side except for page 9, on which Julius Knox has written his address in the States and in New Zealand.
Inscriptions & markings
The envelope is torn across the back vertically towards the right of the flap but the flap is mostly in tact. It has three stamps. The first is a circular one in black ink towards the top centre of the envelope reading "AUCKLAND 21 AUG 3PM 1925 N.Z.". The second stamp is a large rectangular one in black ink in the top right of the envelope reading "ASK FOR AND BUY NEW ZEALAND MADE GOODS". The third stamp is slightly obscured by the the second ink stamp. It is a red and white stamp positioned at the top rigt of the envelope reading "Dominion of New Zealand Universal Postage One Penny".
