Hutchinson Family Papers

"1917" embroidered silk postcard featuring the words "Souvenir de Belgique" [Remember Belgium]. The individual numbers of the year "1917" are composed of the Union Jack, Japanese, Belgian, Italian, French, American and Australian flags. Two purple and yellow pansies also feature in the design.
Silk embroidered postcards were created by French and Belgian women to sell to soldiers serving on the Western Front. They were hugely popular souvenirs and were bought as mementos to send home to loved ones. Originally hand-embroidered by women and girls in their homes, production of the postcards moved to Parisian factories as demand increased.

Postcard from Lance Corporal Charles Wesley Hutchinson on the Western Front to his brother, William.
Embroidered silk postcard featuring the words "[?] From Belgium". The Union Jack and the flags of France, Belgium, Italy, Russia, and the Russian Imperial Flag Silk embroidered postcards were created by French and Belgian women to sell to soldiers serving on the Western Front. They were hugely popular souvenirs and were bought as mementos to send home to loved ones. Originally hand-embroidered by women and girls in their homes, production of the postcards moved to Parisian factories as demand increased.
Physical characteristics and technical requirements :    The postcard is fragile and the silk wording is damaged.

Humorous World War II postcard featuring a soldier with an attractive young woman and with the inscription "Army Comforts Inquiries Here".

Christmas card with a silk ribbon from J. and N. Stringfellow to an unknown recipient.
 

New Year's card from William Malcolm Hutchinson to Henrietta Walker. The card features a view with a windmill and a horshoe decorated with purple flowers.

Greetings card featuring a tamborine decorated with flowers.

Greetings card, either World War I or II, featuring a koala wearing an Australian army uniform and slouch hat, carrying a rifle and backpack. The card is inscribed "To an Aussie From Elsie".

Letter-card from Myra to Mrs W.H. Hutchinson in New Zealand. The card features a flamingo carrying a baby and is inscribed by the sender "Wishing you all a very happy New Year". It is postmarked Wellington, January 22 1907.

Christmas card from Arthur to Hetty. The cover of the card features silk flowers and the words "Good Wishes", as well as "V.E." [Victory in Europe]. The inside of the card features an illustration of sailing boats and a poem "Christmas Blessings Be Thine" by C.M. Griffiths.
V.E. Day, Victory in Europe Day, was celebrated as a public holiday on 8 May 1945 (7 May in Commonwealth countries) to mark the formal acceptance by the allies of World War II of Germany's surrender. It marked the end of World War II in Europe.

Letter from Richard Hutchinson in England to his parents in Queensland, Australia. He writes of the voyage on the ship, visiting Cape Town, South Africa, sight-seeing in England, and tales of German brutality. The letter is written on letterhead "Cunard White Star R.M.S. Queen Mary".
Richard Charles Hutchinson, was born in Dalby, Queensland, on the 15th June 1915. He enlisted in the Second World War in Toowoomba on 3rd November 1939 (Service No. QX 1232) and served with the 2/32nd Infantry Battalion, and at times with the 6th, 7th and 9th Divisions. He left Australia on May 8th, 1940, and spent six months in England before going to Palestine. While in England he married a girl from Wiltshire, Ruby Grace Carter. He was sent with the 9th Division to Tobruck and also served in Syria and El Alamein. His company was captured in El Alamein, however he managed to escape and was placed in another company, however that company was also captured by the enemy on the 22nd July 1942. Richard was held as a prisoner-of-war in Italy for 15 months until he escaped after the Armistice. He went to the mountains and joined the partisans before finding refuge in Switzerland. He died in Caboolture on the 4th October 1999. His wife, Ruby, died on the 8th June 2001. The couple had three children, 2 daughters and one son.

Letter, written in German, regarding the escape of Private Richard Charles Hutchinson from a German prisoner-of-war camp, his re-capture and punishment.

Certificate of Pilgrimage issued to Private Richard Charles Hutchinson on a visit to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem during his service in World War II.

Military colour patch for the Australian Army. The patch is round (denoting the 4th Division), half purple and half red. Colour patches are used on military uniforms to designate the particular service and division.

Military leave pass issued to Private Richard Charles Hutchinson during World War II.
 

Small 1944 calendar printed on a card for the Swiss Insurance and Pension Institution collected by Private Richard Charles Hutchinson during his service in World War II. The card is printed in the Swiss-German language.

Envelope stamped with the formal symbol of the German Nazi Party. The envelope was collected by Private Richard Charles Hutchinson who was a prisoner-of-war in Italy during World War II.

Military map of the Futa Pass in Italy, possibly used by Private Richard Charles Hutchinson during his escape to Switzerland from a prisoner-of-war camp in Italy during World War II.