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several old letters and papers are stacked on top of each other
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MERMOZ Jean 7 letters ‘Jean’ (4) or ‘Mermoz’ (3), Barcelona, May–August 1925, to his ‘Dear Mum’; 8 pages in-4 on letterheads from the Hotel de Francia (2), Nueva Pensión Frascati and Restaurant-Confiserie Royal in Barcelona, 2 postcards (views of bullfights), and 3 pages in-8. On the Spanish lines. 8 May. He won’t be on leave until October. ‘Nevertheless, I’m going to ask for 8 to 10 days’ unpaid leave for the first few days of July. I need to go to Paris for my visit and various other matters. And besides, it’s been such a long time since we last saw each other. […] As for me, things are still going well. The work is a bit less intense at the moment because we’re almost at full strength. I broke down the day before yesterday, without any damage – neither to the aircraft nor to my reputation – whilst carrying two passengers. I landed safely on a stretch of beach 120 km from Barcelona and spent a quiet night there whilst waiting for the breakdown service. An English passenger had a good bottle of whisky which we thoroughly enjoyed. In short, yet another delightful surprise”… – “For the past four days I’ve been flying Barcelona–Alicante and back in a single day. I’ve finally got a day off and I’m really pleased about it, because I’m a bit tired. I’ve asked for leave from 15 July to 15 August. I hope it’ll be granted because I’ve certainly earned it”… He’d like to “know when the meetings in Lille and Douai are taking place, because I’ll do my best to attend if they’re during my leave”… – 26 May. “I’m still on the move; I’m not often in Barcelona. I’m clocking up 4,000 at the moment. But you know, I do feel a tiny bit tired at times”… – 17 June. He’s thinking of postponing his leave “until the end of December so that we can spend the festive season together, unless I move closer for good. I’d like to have my ten days’ leave. I’d go and see Mr Piémontais again and I’d like to see some mates at the Franco-Romanian Company. And then I’ve got ambitions and plans – what can I say? Anyway, I’ll stay here as long as it takes because I’ll only leave for something definite and better”… – 24 August. “I stayed in Toulouse for a day, then the next day I sent a letter and have just returned to Barcelona for good. I don’t think I’ll be going to Dakar now. I need to write to the Franco-Romanian Company again in November or reapply. I’m quite hopeful. In short, I’m feeling a bit down; I’ve resumed my old life, even my old habits—it almost feels as though I never left Spain, but a few regrets and a few memories bring me back to the reality of my absence”… – Saturday evening: ‘I’m flying back to Toulouse tomorrow afternoon. So I expect to be in Paris on Monday morning’… – Sunday. He has not yet been able to ‘collect what I’m owed for my two months’ work. I’ve been asked to wait until Latécoère returns from South America. I’ve been given five hundred francs as an advance. Thank goodness I have my savings here. […] The bad weather gives us no respite and I sometimes come home very tired. What a winter! I’m still waiting to go to Dakar. I’m feeling homesick at the moment”… Correspondence, nos. 53, 49, 55, 57, 62, 76, 32. Source: - Jean Mermoz (1901–1936); - Gabrielle Gillet-Mermoz (1880–1955); - Then passed down through the family
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About the sale Historical Memories
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Auction time 11/03/2026 at 11:00 AM
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