Quartel, Beryl Ellen (War Bride, b.1924 - d.2017)

Collection relating to the post- Second World War experience of Mrs Beryl Ellen Quartel (née Yeend), war bride, Netherlands East Indies, Holland and Australia, 1946-2011.

This collection consists of four wallets of material relating to Mrs Beryl Ellen Quartel (née Yeend) and Hendrick Jan ‘Harry’ Quartel. The wallets contain letters from Mrs Quartel to her family members, including her mother, Mrs Ellen Yeend (née Inglis), her father, Mr Herbert Yeend, and her brothers, Francis ‘Frank’ and Geoffrey Yeend. The letters were written by Mrs Quartel between 1946 and 1949, while she was living in Batavia and Bandoeng, Netherlands East Indies (now Jakarta and Bandung, Indonesia)], and Voorburg, Holland (now Voorburg, Netherlands), with Mr Quartel, who was a Dutch airman. This collection also contains a printed transcript of the letters.

Wallet 1 of 4 – Consists of 25 letters from Mrs Beryl Ellen Quartel to members of her family. These letters were written by Mrs Quartel between August and December 1946, while she was living in Batavia, Netherlands East Indies (now Jakarta, Indonesia). In her letters to her family, Mrs Quartel writes about travelling to the Netherlands East Indies boat with her daughter Jeanne, life on board the ship, meeting her husband upon their arrival at Batavia, her first impressions of the city, moving into her house, receiving rations from the Dutch Air Force, family routines, daily life in Batavia, interacting with the local people, news regarding mutual friends who had also travelled to Batavia to live, hitchhiking around the city, receiving mail, attending social events, having a housekeeper, moving house, sharing a house with other Dutch families, recreational activities, attending church, Jeanne’s good health, and Christmas celebrations. Mrs Quartel also responds to news from her family in Australia.

Wallet 2 of 4 – Consists of 37 letters from Mrs Beryl Ellen Quartel to members of her family. These letters were written by Mrs Quartel between January and December 1947, while she was living in Batavia and Bandoeng, Netherlands East Indies (now Jakarta and Bandung, Indonesia). In her letters, Mrs Quartel writes about spending time with her daughter, travelling in Batavia, recreational activities, news regarding friends and family members, sending and receiving mail, visiting a doctor’s clinic, her husband’s work in the Dutch Air Force, sewing her own clothes, the good health of Jeanne, attending social events, social inequality in Batavia, moving to Bandoeng, conflict between Indonesian Republican and Dutch armed forces, sharing a home with another Dutch family, her impressions of Bandoeng, making new friends, assisting victims of a traffic accident, hearing of nearby civil unrest and violence, hosting visitors, and illnesses in the family. Mrs Quartel also responds to news from her family in Australia.

Wallet 3 of 4 – Contains two folders of correspondence from Mrs Beryl Ellen Quartel and Mr Hendrick Jan ‘Harry’ Quartel to members of Beryl’s family.

Wallet 3 of 4, Folder 1 of 2 consists of 33 letters from Mrs and Mr Quartel to Beryl’s family, dated between January and December 1948. These letters were written by Mrs and Mr Quartel while they were living in Bandoeng, Netherlands East Indies (now Bandung, Indonesia), and Voorburg, Holland (now Voorburg, Netherlands). This folder also includes one letter from Harry’s step-mother, Mrs Corrie Quartel, to Beryl’s mother, dated 26 March 1948. In their letters, Mrs and Mr Quartel write about their family’s way of life in Bandoeng, uncertainty regarding Harry’s leave, sending and receiving mail, being pregnant with their second child, Christmas and New Year celebrations, attending social events, meeting with Dutch servicemen, Jeanne’s health, financial matters, recreational activities, making preparations for the new baby, making clothing, preparing to move to Holland (now the Netherlands), travelling to Holland by boat, their arrival in Voorburg, meeting Harry’s family and friends, adjusting to life in Holland, sightseeing, the birth of their daughter Ellen Lineke, living with Harry’s family, and uncertainty regarding Harry’s employment and their future. Mrs Quartel also responds to news from her family in Australia.

Wallet 3 of 4, Folder 2 of 2 consists of 22 letters from Mrs and Mr Quartel to Beryl’s family, dated between January and September 1949. These letters were written by Mrs and Mr Quartel while they were living in Voorburg, Holland (now Voorburg, Netherlands). In her letters, Mrs Quartel writes about feeling uncertainty regarding Harry’s leave and future employment, the health of Jeanne and Ellen, daily family occurrences, sending and receiving mail, recreational activities, news regarding mutual acquaintances, making clothing, Harry’s embarkation for further service in the Netherlands East Indies, sightseeing, going on holiday, making travel arrangements, travelling to England, and returning to Australia on board a ship. Mrs Quartel also responds to news from her family in Australia.

Wallet 4 of 4 – Contains two folders of material relating to Mrs Beryl Quartel.

Wallet 4 of 4, Folder 1 of 2 consists of one printed transcript of Mrs Quartel’s letters to her family. This transcript is signed by Mrs Quartel. It contains copies of photographs of Mrs Quartel and her family, and a forward and afterward by Mrs Quartel’s daughter, Lineke Hudson (née Quartel), written in 2011.

Wallet 4 of 4, Folder 2 of 2 consists of reference material, including an introduction to her letters by Mrs Beryl Quartel (dated May 2010), and two printed copies of photographs of Mrs Beryl and Mr Harry Quartel.

Beryl Yeend was born on 8 August 1924 in Melbourne, Victoria. She and her family later moved to Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. In April 1942, when Beryl was 17 years old, she met Hendrick Jan ‘Harry’ Quartel. Harry Quartel was a Dutch airman who was serving with 18 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force. During his eight months of training in Canberra, Harry and Beryl became sweethearts. They married in August 1943, while Harry was on leave from service in the Northern Territory. In mid-1944, Beryl moved from Canberra to join Harry, who was then serving in Brisbane, Queensland. They travelled back to Canberra in March 1945 for the birth of their daughter, Jeanne. After the conclusion of the Second World War, Harry was sent to serve in the Netherlands East Indies (now Indonesia). Beryl and Jeanne travelled to live with him in August 1946. The family lived in the Netherlands East Indies until 1948, when Harry received leave to return to Holland (now the Netherlands). They travelled to Holland in May 1948, and lived with Harry’s extended family. In August 1948, Harry and Beryl’s second daughter, Ellen Lineke was born. In April 1949, Harry was required to return to the Netherlands East Indies to complete his service. Several months later, Beryl, Jeanne and Ellen Lineke returned to Australia. The family settled together in Canberra after the conclusion of Harry’s service.