Letters written by staff serving in World War Two to Duncan and Davies Ltd
Production date
23 Nov 1940-22 Apr 1945
Description
A collection of 76 letters written to the company Duncan and Davies Ltd from their staff who where serving in World War Two.
When letters began arriving to Duncan and Davies letters in reply were prepared and sent on behalf of the Westown Soldiers Farewell Committee and later by members of the Davies family themselves. Many of those receiving letters from the Davies family also received copies of staff photographs, copies of local newspapers, company catalogues, geographic magazines and a publication called 'Walkabout'. Also at Christmas time Christmas cakes were sent to those serving on the battlefront.
The letters received from soldiers talked about life at war and experiences in their place of encampment - Egypt, Italy, the Middle East, New Caledonia and Fiji. The soldiers also provide descriptions of garden plants and natural flora found at various locations. Letters usually showed a longing to be back in New Zealand and demonstrated how highly each regarded their relationship with the Davies family and the nursery which employed them.
Letters in the collection are from George Burgess, Peter Gredig, Ray Kidd, Rupert Purrott, Les Foote, Bob Anderson, Bobbie Stewart, Colin O'Sullivan, Alan Hesetine, Ross Robbins, Dorothy Hosking, Vivian Revell, Les Bent, J.C. Kendall and Des Lobb.
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Object detail
Folder 1
1. Letter. Colin O’Sullivan. 5pp. 23 November 1940.
2. Letter. Colin O’Sullivan. 2pp. 23 November 1940.
2a. Letter. Vivian Revell. 2pp. 21 December 1940.
3. Christmas card. Vivian Revell. Christmas 1940.
4. Christmas card. Ted Batten and Peter Gredig. Christmas 1940.
5. Christmas card. Ross Robbins. Christmas 1940.
6. Postcard. “Hamish”. January-February 1941.
7. Letter. Jack Kealy. 4pp. 16 July 1941.
8. Letter. Alan Hesetine. 1pp. 21 July 1941.
9. Letter. Rupert Purrott. 4pp. 9 October 1941.
10. Letter. J.B. Cooper. 4pp. 16 November 1941.
11. Christmas card. Leslie Foote. Christmas 1941.
12. Christmas card. Robbie Stewart. Christmas 1941.
13. Letter. Ross Robbins. 1pp. 24 August 1942.
14. Letter. Ross Robbins. 2pp. 5 September 1942.
15. Letter. Ross Robbins. 1pp. 10 September 1942.
16. Letter. Ross Robbins. 2pp. 10 October 1942.
17. Letter. Ross Robbins. 2pp. 23 October 1942.
18. Christmas card. Colin O’Sullivan. Christmas 1942.
19. Christmas card. Ross Robbins. Christmas 1942.
20. Letter. “Hugh”. 2pp. 7 February 1943.
21. Letter. Alan Hesetine. 3 pp. 9 February 1943.
22. Letter. Leslie Foote. 4pp. 18 February 1943.
23. Letter. Ross Robbins. 2pp. 22 February 1943.
24. Letter. Ross Robbins. 2pp. 11 May 1943.
25. Letter. Leslie Foote. 3pp. 13 May 1943.
26. Copy of Tunis Telegraph newspaper. Colin O’Sullivan. 1pp. 14 May 1943.
27. Letter. Colin O’Sullivan. 3pp. 28 June 1943.
28. Letter. Ross Robbins. 2pp. 4 July 1943.
Folder 2
29. Letter. Leslie Foote. 5pp. 29 August 1943.
30. Letter. “Hugh”. 2pp. 2 September 1943.
31. Letter. “Hugh”. 3pp. 5 October 1943.
31a. Letter. Ross Robins. 1pp. 14 November 1943.
32. Letter. Alan Hesetine. 4pp. 22 November 1943.
32a. Letter. Ross Robins. 1pp. 3 December 1943.
33. Letter. Peter Gredig. 1pp. 14 December 1943.
33a. Letter. Ross Robins. 1pp. 25 Decemebr 1943.
34. Letter. Leslie Foote. 2pp. 31 December 1943.
35. Letter. “Hugh”. 1pp. 31 December 1943.
36. Christmas card. Ray Kidd. Christmas 1943.
37. Christmas card. Rupert Purrott. Christmas 1943.
38. Christmas card. George Burgess. Christmas 1943.
39. Christmas card. Bobbie Stewart. Christmas 1943.
40. Christmas card. Dorothy Hosking. Christmas 1943.
41. Christmas card. Colin O’Sullivan. Christmas 1943.
42. Christmas card. Bob Anderson. Christmas 1943.
42a. Letter. J.C. Kendall. 2pp. 2 January 1944.
43. Letter. Rupert Purrott. 4pp . 25 January 1944.
44. Letter. James Barling. 1pp. 31 January 1944.
44a. Letter. Bobbie Stewart. 1pp. 8 February 1944.
45. Letter. Ross Robbins. 1pp. 12 February 1944.
46. Letter. Colin O’Sullivan. 8pp. 26 February 1944.
46a. Letter. Bobbie Stewart. 1pp. 1 March 1944.
47. Letter. Ray Kidd. 3pp. 1 March 1944.
48. Letter. Peter Gredig. 1pp. 7 March 1944.
49. Letter. Rupert Purrott. 5pp. 13 March 1944.
50. Letter. George Burgess. 5pp. 16 March 1944.
51. Letter. Dorothy Hosking. 10opp. 24 March 1944.
52. Letter. Bob Anderson. 1pp. 27 March 1944.
53. Letter. Colin O’Sullivan. 1pp. 23 April 1944.
54. Letter. Ross Robins. 3pp. 25 May 1944.
55. Letter. Leslie Foote. 5pp. 25 June 1944.
56. Letter. Bobbie Stewart. 1pp. 8 august 1944.
57. Letter. Colin O’Sullivan. 1pp. 2 October 1944.
58. Letter. Ross Robbins. 1pp. 5 December 1944.
59. Christmas card. Bobbie Stewart. Christmas 1944.
60. Christmas card. Ray Kidd. Christmas 1944.
61. Letter. Ray Kidd. 1pp. 22 November 1944.
62. Letter. Ross Robbins. 1pp. 19 January 1945.
63. Letter. Ross Robbins. 1pp. 23 March 1945.
64. Letter. Ray Kidd. 1pp. 22 April 1945.
65. Letter. Ross Robbins. 1pp. Undated.
66. Letter. Ross Robbins. 1pp. Undated.
67. Letter. Les Bent. 6pp. 11 June [no year].
68. Letter. Les Bent. 3pp. 2 September [no year].
69. Letter. J.C. Kendall. 2pp. 13 March [no year].
70. Letter. Des Lobb. 4pp. 5 March [no year].
71. Christmas card. “Howard”. Undated.
72. Christmas card. “Hugh”. Undated.
73. Christmas card. Bobbie Stewart. Undated.
74. Christmas card. “Hugh”. Undated.
75. Christmas card. “Howard”. Undated.
76. Christmas card. “Jeff”. Undated.
77. List of correspondence received. 6pp. Undated.
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