MANNERS, GEORGE PERCIVAL ROBSON (PERCY)
George Percival Robson (Percy) Manners (1886-1963) was born in Durham, England. He enlisted on 1
February 1916 at Perth, Western Australia (No. 5394. 17th Reinforcements. 16th Battalion. 4th
Brigade) source: http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=8211995
Percy Manners’ wife was Sarah Elizabeth (Sally), they had three children: Marjorie, Leila, Percy, and
lived at Victoria Park East Perth whilst Percy was on active service during World War 1.
This collection (ACC 9277A) consists mainly of letters written by Percy Manners to his wife and
children when on active service. There are some miscellaneous letters, written during the same
period, to Sally Manners from family in England
ACC 9277A
Purchased, 2014
PRIVATE ARCHIVES MANUSCRIPT NOTE (MN 3138; ACC 9277A)
SUMMARY OF CLASSES
CORRESPONDENCE
9277A/1-9277A/17. These letters are from Percy Manners whilst on active service during World War 1, to his wife and
children at Victoria Park East, Western Australia. Unless stated, the letters are signed from “Percy” or “Daddy”, with a
salutation, “To My Darlings/To My Dear Ones”. Some envelopes contained more than one letter. Envelopes are addressed
to Mrs GP Manners at Weston Street, Victoria Park East, Western Australia and later to Star Street, Victoria Park East,
Western Australia
9277A/18-9277A/28. There are four letters dated 1913. Other letters are mainly from family in England and addressed to
“Sally” (Sarah Elizabeth Manners), written during the time Percy Manners was on active service and in 1919, when Percy
was visiting family in England prior to his return to Australia.
Acc. No.
DESCRIPTION
9277A/1
October 1915. Addressed from “Blackboy”
9277A/2
2.1. 19 April 1916. Addressed from “On transport”
2.2. 10 May 1916. Addressed from “somewhere in the Mediterranean”
Envelope postmarked Victoria, 29 May 1916
3.1. 28 April (1916). Small page from a notebook. Note reads, “In Colombo… “
3.1.1. Envelope only, with Ceylon postage stamp. Postal mark date April, year not
decipherable
3.2. 6 May 1916. Addressed from “somewhere on the High Seas”
3.3. 21 May 1916.
3.4 21 May 1916. Letterhead with address, “Adelaide YMCA Army Department”
3.5. 28 & 29 May 1916. Addressed from Egypt
3.6. Easter Monday (24 April 1916). 29 May 1916 (envelope postmark).
4 JUNE 1916; 18 JUNE 1916. POSTMARKED ROLLESTONE CAMP SALISBURY, 19 JULY 1916:
4.1. 4 June 1916. Addressed from Egypt
4.2. 18 June 1916. Addressed from “somewhere in France”
9277A/3
9277A/4
MN 3138
1
Copyright SLWA ©2015
9277A/5
9277A/6
9277A/7
9277A/8
9277A/9
9277A/10
9277A/11
9277A/12
9277A/13
9277A/14
9277A/15
9277A/16
9277A/17
MN 3138
23 JUNE 1916-AUGUST 1916. FRANCE SOMEWHERE / SOMEWHERE IN FRANCE
8 letters to his wife and family at Victoria Park East, including:
23 June 1916. Attached to the first page is a piece of ivy and in the letter Percy writes…
“Enclosed is a little piece of French Ivy. The embankments along the roads are covered with it”
Sunday July 9 1916. Verso of sheet 3 has three pressed flowers: a wild pansy; a buttercup and
an unnamed flower
20 AUGUST 1916. RED CROSS WARD
On letterhead “Canadian Red Cross Recreation Hut Ward. No. 2 Canadian Stationary Hospital
(B.E.F.), France. Percy writes …I wrote you a short note last week telling you where I was and
what is the matter with me
August 29 1916-21 September 1916. No. 5 CONVALESCENT CAMP, FRANCE
5 letters to his wife and family at Victoria Park East
24 September 1916-25 December 1916. FRANCE / SOMEWHERE IN FRANCE
16 letters to his wife and family at Victoria Park East
3 January 1917-11 November 1917. FRANCE / SOMEWHERE IN FRANCE
36 letters to his wife and family at Victoria Park East, including:
15 January 1917. One letter + two notes, one addressed to “My Dear Marjorie”
19 February 1917. Envelope addressed to Miss Leila Manners
25 April 1917. Includes three embroidery bees, note on verso of p4 of letter: “take good care
of “bees” enclose? I’ll tell you later where they came from”
2 July 1917. Letter salutation “My Dear Percy”, signed “Daddy”
7 July 1917. Letter Salutation, “My Dear Marjorie & Leila”. Includes picture postcard, depicting
Hotel Burlington, Boscombe
21 September 1917. “France Somewhere”. Photograph of a young man and woman, seated on
a bench, man wearing a kilt. Letter states: I had a letter from Boyse? This morning & enclosed
a snapshot…”
16 June 1918-10 November 1918. FRANCE / SOMEWHERE IN FRANCE
16 letters to his wife and family at Victoria Park East, including:
27 October 1918. Written on picture postcard, depicting Picquigny (France). Includes drawing
of 2 hens, cockerel, cat and kitten, with reference to “Thornhill Gardens”
10 November 1918. Page 3, half page is dated 12 November and signed “Percy”. Writes that “I
got drunk yesterday. Bullen too… Look at the date”
23 July 1918. Transcription of a letter, written by Percy to his parents and enclosing ‘a piece’ of
the ribbon that was presented to him
2 DECEMBER 1918-13 DECEMBER 1918. SAINS, FRANCE
3 letters to his wife and family at Victoria Park East
18 December 1918-19 March 1919. FLORENNES, BELGIUM
21 letters + 2 circulars, to his wife and family at Victoria Park East, Perth. Includes:
8 January 1919: “My Dear Boy”. Encloses the “ribbon which was on my medal when the
Prince gave it to me”. Medal is wrapped in paper inscribed: “Percy Manners son of Old Percy
Manners”
2 March 1919: Asks how the “whooping cough (is) getting on. Hope they are all nicely over it
now”. Influenza on the troopships. Describes the family with whom he is billeted, mentions
“Jack Smith”, “George Harris”, “Harper”.
There is a pressed flower with this letter, but no written mention of it in the letter
28 March 1919; 31 March (1919). LE HAVRE
Two letters to his wife and family at Victoria Park East, Perth. Arrival at Le Havre and imminent
departure for England, hoping to be heading back to Australia within a month
2 April 1919. NO. 18 CAMP, HURDCOTT, SALISBURY, ENGLAND
One letter to his wife and family at Victoria Park East, Perth. Arrived at Salisbury, hoping to be
granted 14 days leave, will visit family
7 April 1919-17 April (1919). THORNHILL GARDENS, SUNDERLAND, UK
Four letters to his wife and family at Victoria Park East, Perth. Visiting family in the UK, talks of
the doings of family and friends, waiting to hear when he will be returning to Australia
20 April 1919-18 May 1919. HURDCOTT CAMP, SALISBURY, ENGLAND
Nine letters + 2 circulars, to his wife and family at Victoria Park East, Perth. Waiting in camp to
sail home to Australia. Last letter, 18 May, confirms his name is on the boat roll and, “we sail
on the BREMEN…”
1 August; 2 August (no year given), Indicates Percy is travelling to England (1 August); Is in
nd
London and expecting to travel to Sunderland to see family (2 August)
Page 2 of 3
Copyright SLWA ©2015
MISCELLANEOUS LETTERS – MAINLY FROM FAMILY MEMBERS IN ENGLAND TO SALLY (SARAH ELIZABETH) MANNERS IN
PERTH
9277A/18
1913. In one envelope (not post-marked), addressed to Mr GPR Manners, c/- CJ Moran,
Tamacurring, Wagin East:
1. 5 August 1913. From “Sally” at 117 Wellington Street, Perth, salutation: “Now dearie”.
th
2. Thursday 7 . From “Sally” at 117 Wellington Street, Perth, salutation, “My Dear Old Boy”
3. 2 November 1913. Letter with offer to build a cottage. No signature, Addressed from
Tamacurring, East Wagin.
4. n.d. Newspaper cutting, “Day Labour System: effect on public works”
9277A/19
1917. In one envelope, addressed to Mrs GP Manners, Weston Street, Victoria Park East,
Western Australia:
1. 4 October 1917. Salonica. To “My Dear Sister”, from “Your loving brother Jack”
2. 25 October 1917. Salonica. To “My Dear Sister”, from “Your loving brother Jack”
9277A/20
12 October 1918. Salutation “Dear Dad”, from “Your Friend, Bert Williams”. Envelope
th
addressed to Sgt “dad” Manners, 16 Battalion, AIF, France
9277A/21
27 February 1919. From “Moll”? Headed, Sunderland, to “My Dear Sally”
Envelope addressed: Mrs GP Manners, Star Street, Victoria Park East, Perth, Western Australia
9277A/22
15 March (1919). From “Your Loving Sister Peg”, Headed, Bournemouth, England, to “My Dear
Sally”. “Hope you are all well and that the babes are safely over the whooping cough”
Envelope addressed: Mrs GP Manners, Star Street, Victoria Park East, Perth, Western Australia
9277A/23
29 March 1919. From “A. Bill”, Headed: 23 Newcastle Street, East Perth, WA, to “Dear Mrs
Manners”
9277A/24
4 April (1919). From “Isabel”, Headed, Stoke Holy Cross, nr. Norwich, to “My Dearest Sally”.
Writes she has written to Mother asking if she has heard from Percy, apparently expected to
visit before leaving England for Australia.
Envelope addressed: Mrs GP Manners, Weston Street, Victoria Park East, Perth, Western
Australia
9277A/25
4 April (1919) From “Mother” to “My Dearest Sally”, enveloped addressed to Mrs GP Manners.
“We have had Percy on his last leave he starts for home about the twenty four of this
month…”
Envelope addressed: Mrs GP Manners, C/- Mrs Knifton, Star Street, Victoria Park East, Perth,
Western Australia
9277A/26
26 April 1919. Addressed from 29 Thornhill Gardens, Sunderland. To “My Very Dear Sally”,
From “Grandad”. Envelope addressed: Mrs GP Manners, C/- Mrs Knifton, Star Street, Victoria
Park East, Perth, Western Australia
9277A/27
27 April (1919). Addressed from Chester Le Street (UK) to “My Dear Sister” from “Your Sister
Nell”
9277A/28
Research notes. Consists of printed sheets from National Archives Australia, Australian War
Memorial, Ancestry.com relating to Percy Manners war service; Catalogue from Robert Muir,
detailing the collection of letters to be auctioned. (some date discrepancies occur)
Holdings = 17 cm
Copyright Restrictions
The Commonwealth Copyright Act 1968 regulates copying of unpublished material. It is the user’s legal obligation to determine and satisfy copyright.
MN 3138
Page 3 of 3
Copyright SLWA ©2015