The International Committee of the Red Cross was formed in 1862. Initially its purpose was to try and find ways of overcoming the inadequacy of army medical services so as to alleviate the suffering of those wounded in armed conflict. Over time it has extended its work to include many forms of humanitarian aid in times of peace and war. The Australian Red Cross Society (ARCS) was formed just after the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914, originally as a branch of the British Red Cross. It is especially remembered in the provision of “comforts” for soldiers overseas. Enormous sums of money were raised, and thousands of women volunteers contributed their time by making vast quantities of clothing: socks, vests, mittens, mufflers, pyjamas and a variety of linen. Items were sent to headquarters located in the state capitals, often using government houses as depots, where, after being sorted and packed by yet more volunteers, they were sent to Britain or the front. The effect of this work for the recipients was to bring comfort in its truest sense, for a seemingly trivial gift of a bar of chocolate of a pair of dry socks could bring the most profound relief for a soldier on the Western Front. From the date of its inception until the armistice the ARCS dispatched 395,695 food parcels and 36,339 clothing parcels Between 1914 and 1918 more than £3,500,00 was collected and spent on Red Cross services to the Australian Forces and Empire Forces. During WW1 and WW2 Red Cross raised funds selling buttons.Early settlers in Moorabbin Shire held fundraising events for the support of Red Cross Victoria and made cakes and knitted socks, gloves and scarves for distribution to serving men and women Metal buttons with printing on themRed Crossred cross, fund raising buttons, wwi, wwii, french red cross, british red cross, market gardeners, early settlers, moorabbin shire, bentleigh, cheltenham, caulfield repatriation hospital

Receipt No 84 for ten Fete & Art Union tickets issued to W Wilson Masonic Hall View Street Bendigo, raising money for the Children's Hospital Bazaar. September 1st to 15th 1900. Receipt Dated 14th June 1900.organization, institution, hospital, hospital fund raising

Eight Art Union tickets raising money for 'Children's Hospital Bazaar. Hand stamped Childrens hospital Bazaar in circle with 1900 date. Entry ticket costing one shilling to Fete & Art Union held at Exhibition Building Melbourne. Reverse Wertheim's advertising. Sewing Machines, Mangles and Knitting Machines, pianos, Electra Cycles. Illustration of 'The Gnome' trademark. Head Office. 173 William St Melbourne.Numbered 30272 to 30281Troedel & Co Printorganization, institution, hospital, hospital fund raising

For St Kilda Patriotic Carnival at Luna Park to aid Australian Comforts Fund and Red Cross FundPink/discoloured or buff paper, printed one side in bluewwi fund-raising, luna park, st kilda carnivals, australian comforts fund, victorian red cross

Advertising aquatic display to be held off St Kilda Pier of 16 March 1918. Featuring parade and numerous lifesaving events (men and women).Funds to aid Returned Soldiers Amelioration FundCream (discoloured) paper printed one side in blackwwi, world war i, returned soldiers amelioration fund, insurance staffs' patriotic fund, st kilda pier, wwi fund-raising, royal life saving society

Advertising carnival to be held on 8-13th December at Luna Park to aid Australian Red Cross and Comfort FundsPaper, brightly coloured (orange, yellow, green) printed in blackvictorian red cross, luna park, australian comforts fund, wwi fund-raising

Advertising a Grand Gala Day at Elwood Beach, organised by Elwood Life Saving Club and the Elsternwick Friendly Societies and Trades Club to aid the Red Cross. Attractions outlined. Admission free but collection on grounds.Paper, brown-coloured, printed in black on one sideelwood life saving club, elsternwick friendly societies and trades club, wwi fund-raising

Program of a 'Monster Carnival' over 5 days, from Wednesday 11 October to Saturday 14 October 1916. Includes details of events and stall holders. Contains advertisements for local businesses and products. The carnival was to aid the Patriotic and Red Cross fundsSeven sheets of white paper, printed both sides in red and blue, folded and stapled (two staples) to create 28 pages.st kilda patriotic league, wwi, wwi fund-raising, world war i, victorian red cross

An example of tableaux drama. Ten 'scenes from the Empire' were presented: King Alfred Disguised as a Harper in the Camp of the Danes'; 'The Signing of the Magna Carta'; 'Queen Elizabeth Knighting Drake on the Deck of the "Golden Hind"' etc. Contains details of Executive of the Victorian Artists' Society and the St Kilda Executive Committee. Under the patronage and in the presence of, among others, the Governor of Victoria, the Lord Mayor of Melbourne and Madame Melba. To raise funds 'to provide an Ambulance for the Australian Wounded'.Yellowed cream cardboard, printed in black and gold, folded in half to form the cover. Inside two sheets of paper, printed in black and red and folded to make four pages, are fastened to the cover by stitched red string.wwi, world war i, victorian artists' society, wwi fund-raising

Program for an afternoon of sport and entertainment at St Kilda Cricket Ground to raise funds for wounded soldiersYellowed cream coloured paper folded in half to create four pages and printed in red on all pagesanzac, wwi, world war i, st kilda rest house, st kilda soldiers lounge, wwi fund-raising, st kilda cricket ground

Forms numbered 5632-5640 to record money received by St Kilda Patriotic FundsWhite paper printed in blackwwi fund-raising

Ticket to the Misses Hyams' Patriotic Ball ('Le Bal Australien') to aid repatriation of solders and St Kilda Red CrossBuff coloured ticket printed in black with red crossmisses hyams, talma photographer, wwi fund-raising, st kilda patriotic committee, victorian red cross

Advertises gift evening to support Victoria's State War Council's Appeal during World War 1. Admission by gifts.White coloured card printed in bluestate war council's appeal, wwi fund-raising

The St Kilda Soldiers’ Lounge was opened by the St Kilda Patriotic League and the YMCA in 1915, and run by Mrs Lucie Hallenstein. Located in the refreshment rooms of the former Comedy Theatre, Lower Esplanade, it provided a place for returned soldiers to relax and socialise. By mid-1916 the average weekly attendance had reached eight hundred servicemen. The lounge remained popular until it closed in 1920.White coloured card printed in bluewwi fund-raising, st kilda soldiers lounge, wwi, world war i

For juvenile Fairy Tale Fancy Dress Ball held on 11 August 1917 to aid the Red CrossSingle sheet of white paper that has discoloured with age, printed in dark bluest kilda patriotic committee, wwi fund-raising, victorian red cross, st kilda balls

Program for the Royal Victorian Liedertafel concert at St Kilda Town Hall on 15 May 1917 to aid the British Red Cross Fund. Organised by St Kilda Patriotic Committee.Single sheet of pink paper printed in bluest kilda patriotic committee, wwi, world war i, wwi fund-raising, british red cross, mansley greer, royal victorian liedertafel

Advertisement for event to raise funds for The Australian Wounded Soldiers' Fund on 24 August 1915 and to celebrate the 45th anniversary of St Kilda Tent No 131 of the Independent Order of Rechabites. The Independent Order of Rechabites was founded as a fraternal organisation and friendly society in England in 1835 as part of the wider temperance movement to promote total abstinence from alcoholic beverages. It was first established in Australia in Tasmania in 1843 and retains a state branch in Victoria with a number of affiliated tents.Pink coloured paper printed one side in brown and red. Cut from a larger sheet which may have been a poster, flyer or other document. wwi, world war i, wwi fund-raising, independent order of rechabites, australian wounded soldiers' fund

An invitation to afternoon tea with the Acting Mayoress, Mrs Nahum Barnet, and the St Kilda Patriotic Workers at the St Kilda Town Hall on 23 April. The year is not identified but is almost certainly 1917. Mr Nahum Barnet was the brother of Cr Henry Florian Barnet, who was the Mayor of St Kilda in 1916-17. His wife served as acting Mayoress because the Mayor was unmarried.Sepia (formerly white) card printed in blue on one sidest kilda mayoral function, st kilda patriotic workers, anzac day, wwi fund-raising

Directions for the knitting of standard socks for men in active service during WWI. Issued by the Lady Mayoress's League, Melbourne, in September 1915. The Lady Mayoress's League, or Lady Mayoress's Patriotic League, was formed on 7th August 1914 by Lady Hennessy, Lady Mayoress of the City of Melbourne. The League was formed to supplement the official supplies issued to each soldier by providing 'comforts' such as socks and food packages, and by 1915 was the recognised agent in Victoria for the reception and despatch of all gifts other than those sent privately. In September 1916 it became part of the Australian Comforts Funds, an Australia-wide umbrella organisation formed from individual state-based organisations of this type. Folded single sheet of white paper that has discoloured with age, printed in black on both sidesthe lady mayoress's league, wwi fund-raising

Program of a 5-day festival held 27/2/1926 - 6/3/1926 to raise funds for the Bush Fire Relief Fund, Soldiers' Memorial Hall, St Vincent's Hospital and the Catani Memorial (St Kilda cenotaph). The carnival began with a procession from what is now St Kilda Junction, down Fitzroy Street to Luna Park and the Lower Esplanade. Events included novelty races and contests including pillow-fighting, a paddling race where contestants had to balance on kerosene tins, a cigarette race where competitors raced with lighted cigarettes, and many other contests at the beach. There were also swimming events, boat races, lifesaving demonstrations, displays, music and dancing. The program contains extensive advertising from local businesses.Booklet made of 5 sheets of white paper, discoloured with age, folded, stapled and printed in blue and blackst kilda carnivals, wwi fund-raising, st kilda memorial hall, st kilda cenotaph, st kilda beach

The stamps advertise a 5-day festival in 1926 to raise funds for the Bush Fire Relief Fund, Soldiers' Memorial Hall, St Vincent's Hospital and the Catani Memorial (St Kilda cenotaph).Series of five identical stamps, printed in red and pink on a sheet of perforated white paper, discoloured with age, and backed with gum. st kilda carnivals, st kilda beach, wwi fund-raising

Unused receipt forms that have been removed from a receipt book for St Kilda's contributions to an appeal in 1920 for the Queen Victoria Hospital.Blue paper, printed in black on one side, perforated vertically at about one third along its length. Four copies heldqueen victoria hospital, wwi fund-raising, hospital fundraising

Invitation to a St Kilda Red Cross Ball in aid of the Prisoners of War Fund at the St Kilda Town Hall on 18 June 1943Buff coloured card printed in blueworld war ii, wwii, wwii fund-raising, st kilda balls, prisoner of war fund, st kilda red cross

Advertisement for Freemans Staff Dance at the 'new' St Kilda Town Hall on 4 September 1940 with proceeds going to the St Kilda Patriotic Society. The St Kilda Town Hall opened in 1890 in incomplete form, comprising only the hall, the front wing and Carlisle Street wings. In 1925 the portico and elaborate internal stair-hall were added. In 1939 an addition on the Brighton Road side, including a new Art Deco style Council Chamber, was built.Poster on white paper (discoloured with age) printed in black on one sidest kilda patriotic society, st kilda town hall, freemans dances, wwii fund-raising

Program for a rally arranged by the City of St Kilda on 26 June 1940 at St Kilda Town Hall to recruit numbers and raise war savings. Includes a detachable application form for War Savings Certificates on the back page. One of the speakers at the rally was Gunner Harold Holt MHR, who later served as Prime Minister in 1966-67. Holt was elected to Parliament in 1935 at the age of 27. He enlisted in the Militia in February 1939, joining a part-time artillery unit for businessmen and professionals and, May 1940, without resigning his seat, he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force with the intent of becoming a full-time soldier. He was posted to the 2/4th Field Regiment, holding the rank of gunner. Within three months his brief military career came to an end when three senior government ministers died in a plane crash, an election was called, and he was given leave from the Army to campaign. He was re-elected and then resigned from the Army in October 1940 upon being sworn in as Minister for Labour and National Service.Cream coloured paper, printed in blue on both sides, folded and perforated at the fold city of st kilda, world war ii, wwii fund-raising, harold holt, arnold colman

Advertisement for a rally arranged by the City of St Kilda on 26 June 1940 at St Kilda Town Hall to recruit numbers and raise war savings. Printed on the reverse side is an application form for War Savings Certificates. One of the speakers at the rally was Gunner Harold Holt MHR, who later served as Prime Minister in 1966-67.Cream coloured paper, printed in blue on both sidescity of st kilda, world war ii, wwii fund-raising, harold holt

Notice of a public meeting about local patriotic activities and the formation of a St Kilda Branch of the Red Cross. The meeting was convened by the City of St Kilda and held in the St Kilda Town Hall on 2 October 1939, shortly after the outbreak of World War II.Cream coloured paper printed in black on one sidewwii fund-raising, city of st kilda, st kilda red cross, arnold colman

Annual report of the St Kilda Patriotic Society 1942-43. Summarises the funds raised to date and the source including by house to house collections, raffles, balls, community singing, Sunday concerts, St Kilda carnivals, sale of Australian Comforts Fund badges etc. It also sets out where the money raised had been directed. The St Kilda Patriotic Society was first formed during the First World War and was reconvened during the Second World War to organise all patriotic activities in St Kilda.Cream coloured paper, printed in blue and red on both sides and folded into threest kilda patriotic society, wwii fund-raising

Annual report of the St Kilda Patriotic Society 1944-45. Summarises the funds raised to date and the source including by house to house collections, raffles, balls, community singing, Sunday concerts, St Kilda carnivals, sale of Australian Comforts Fund badges etc. It also sets out where the money raised had been directed. The St Kilda Patriotic Society was first formed during the First World War and was reconvened during the Second World War to organise all patriotic activities in St Kilda.Cream coloured paper, printed in blue and red on both sides and folded into threest kilda patriotic society, wwii fund-raising

Ticket to a concert by the Preston Tramways Male Choral Society in aid of the St Kilda Patriotic Society at St Kilda Town Hall on 11 August 1940Blue coloured card printed in pink on one sidest kilda patriotic society, preston tramways male choral society, wwii fund-raising