What are fundraising pins and badges?
These are the small tokens that were given to a person who donated to a fundraising appeal that helped to spread the word about the cause that they were raising money for.
Fundraising during the war
Fundraising was a feature throughout the First World War, although the heyday of street collections was 1914-1915, before conscription and rationing took a grip on the nation. There were flag-day appeals to support prisoners of war, refugees (especially Belgian), the wounded (especially the blinded or ‘crippled’), and for organisations such as Red Cross & St John’s. The ‘flags’ (usually paper, sometimes tin, silk, wool, cloth, pressed foil, or natural ‘sprigs’) survive in surprising numbers. Often they are found inside autograph books, with the collection of entries from wounded soldiers a particular craze amongst middle- and upper- class girls; the same girls were often also the flag sellers.
Looking after the flag pins
The pins on charity flags often rust and discolour the printed flag - to prevent this, store them away from unheated areas, and if necessary keep the pins and the flags separately.
Useful websites and books for further research
Website Sources
Prisoners of war 1914-1918
Details of a Mrs Morrison, supposed founder of the ‘flag day movement‘ in the Boer War, and shows examples of flags raising funds for POW comforts.
Sally's badges
Online dealers’ website, dedicated page – several fund-raising badges illustrated, so a good visual source.
Books
There are no books substantially on this topic, although many mention (and some illustrate) aspects of this in passing.
