On July 1st, 1949, four AA students. Kenneth Browne, Ian Colquhoun, P.R. Davidson and Herbert Morel, embarked on a journey across Europe to Rome and thence on to the ruins of Leptis Magna, in Tripoli, Libya…. They there took part in an archaeological dig led by John Bryan Ward-Perkins, the Director of the British School at Rome. The AA Archives have recently been donated a wonderful set of watercolour sketches by Kenneth Browne, which beautifully document the expedition, its progress through Rome and daily life and work amongst what are now UNESCO listed monuments.
In addition to the sketches we have been given Browne’s detailed diary, a number of photographs, correspondence and other documentation. These materials compliment a similar album of sketches and photographs put together by another student on the trip, Herbert Morell, which were donated to the AA Archives several years ago. As the AA part funded the students’ participation in the expedition, it was required that a formal report was written on their return – a copy of this is held in the AA Library.