b'84The Stamp & Postcard Collections of Lester Kinsley(Lots 615700)The stamp and postcard collections of a lot for businessto mining towns in Queensland, oil LESTER RALPH DINSDALE KINSLEY 19252020 installations around the country, he remodelled seaboard My father lived through a lot and life took him to manyterminals in undeveloped Pacific locations, worked on interesting places. He was a child during the Depression, aprojects in New Guinea and regularly visited food processing teenager in WW2; at 15 he was evacuated from his family,plants around the country. In 1975, aged 50, dad started his he was in India at 22 for the end of the British Raj, and aown business, an engineering consultancy.young man in the hungry years that followed the war.I can remember him soaking and drying stamps between He was raised in a village in Sussex, England. Thrift andblotting paper. He collected Australian and Royal Mail frugality were a necessity and collecting a common hobby.stamps, appreciating their history and design, presenting Among his belongings I found what was possibly his firstthem beautifully in albums.collection: John Player cigarette cards of the Aircraft ofDad retired when he was 78 and started purchasing the Royal Air Force. On leaving school he was awarded anpostcards at auctions. He found their social commentary, engineering cadetship with the British Army. In 1946 hephilately and world geography of interest. He delighted in enlisted in the Corps of the Royal Engineers which took himthe joy of a successful auction bid as well as discovering to India and Singapore where he fell in love with the tropics.the mysteries of the purchased lot. His love of order made On returning to Sussex, he worked at a local engineeringthe sorting process satisfying and he enjoyed researching firm and married in 1950.locations virtually via Google maps. Perhaps it got a little Having seen something of the world, dads wanderlustout of hand. My mother had always had an album of meant he was interested when he heard of plans to buildvintage postcards and was a little miffed that he had taken South Para Reservoir in South Australia. So, in 1955, Mumover her collection!and Dad set sail on the Arcadia. The plan was only to stayDad was an inveterate collector, at times to the dismay of for the 3-year contract. his wife. He was an accumulator and organiser of books, In 1960 dad joined Shell Australia, and after severalstamps, postcards and he amassed many interesting interstate moves, he was made their Chief Projectsantiques, old newspapers, programmes, prints, posters, Manager, Australasia. In 1970 he became Operationsvellum legal documents etc. They gave him much Director at Matthew Hall, later their Business Developmentpleasure. He would be pleased to know they will continue Director and he opened their Food Division. Dad travelledto be appreciated.Helen Pentecost, Sydney.'