Summary

Note addressed to 'Muggles' (Lindsay Motherwell), from 'Mugsy', sending some old photos, 1992. It is from a musician friend who references having gigs. Lindsay and Sylvia Motherwell always stayed in contact with their old friends from South Africa after they moved to Australia in 1970.

Sylvia Boyes (a South African-born orphan) and Lindsay Motherwell (a Melbourne-born drummer) met in Cape Town, South Africa in 1967 through their theatre connections. They fell in love but due to apartheid laws were forced to leave South Africa to marry in London. They subsequently relocated permanently to Melbourne in 1970.

Physical Description

Note written on lined notepaper in all-caps. It thanks Lindsay for cards that he has sent, and says that a photo has been included. It also mentions the gigs the writer has had recently, and states that Heather, the children and grandchildren are all well. It asks Lindsay to "GIVE OUR LOVE TO SYLVIE", and signs off "YOUR OLD PAL MUGGSY"

Significance

Statement of Historical Significance:
This collection provides a significant opportunity to represent political and personal freedom as a motivation for migrating to Australia within the international context of both apartheid in South Africa and the end of the White Australia policy in Australia. The personal narrative is well documented and the objects provide a material way to follow the lives of both Lindsay and Sylvia, both separately and where they coincide in South Africa and onwards together to Melbourne. While this is ultimately a love story, it plays out through the collection against the backdrop of apartheid South Africa, sixties London and an increasingly multicultural Australia.

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