This pin was created by Miss Annie Emily Gardner to raise relief money to support industrial unrest in Newcastle. It was reported in the Newcastle Morning Herald that Miss Gardner was vice-president of the Women's Organising Committee of the Political Labour League. A copy of an advertisement for the pin has been uploaded here. Price of the silver pin was 2/- and gold 15/6. Photograph of the pin - to come. Donated to Ballarat Trades Hall by John Mildren. Significant to industrial action, union organising and the labour movement in Australia.Pin. Round. Sterling silver.Silver anchor superimposed over a white globe (with silver latitude and longitude lines). A safety pin is welded to the back. Blue outer circle with inscription: "Organized labor the hope of the world 1909". Inscription on the back: "USA ???" in very tiny font.btlc, ballarat trades and labour council, unions ballarat, ballarat trades hall, political labour league, artefacts - jewellery, gardner, annie emily, industrial action, campaigns, relief - fundraising

This photograph was taken on the first 'Australia Day', held 30 July 1915. Across Australia, this day was set aside for a nation-wide fundraising effort for the Patriotic Relief Fund, raising money to assist wounded soldiers returning to Australia during WWI. Other days had been set aside to raise funds for specific nations, e.g. 'Belgian Day' had been held earlier in 1915.. In Linton Australia Day 1915 was celebrated with a jumble sale, raffles, and collection of donations. There was also a stall near the Shire Offices, attended by a group of girls dressed as Red Cross nurses, which sold flowers, postcards, toys etc. People identified in photograph: Standing slightly behind the group - Mr Smith (Alf J. Smith, Grenville Shire Secretary). L-R, standing: Kathleen Nicol, Violet Smith, Jean Gascoigne, Elva Ball, Miss Barry, Millie Todd, Effie Gascoigne, Stella Todd, unnamed. L-R, seated - Stella Ralf (spelled Ralph), Rita Morgan, three girls in centre are unnamed, Daisy Smith. The girls were pupils of the Misses Barry, who were assisted in costuming the girls by Mrs A. J. Smith. The stall raised eight pounds for the Patriotic Relief Fund. See article from the 'Grenville Standard', Saturday August 7, 1915, p.1. A copy of this article is in the "Australia Day 1915" file, kept with "Linton" files in the drawer underneath the photocopier in Room-01.Black and white photograph showing school girls dressed as Red Cross nurses. Older lady in middle of back row (Miss Barry) and three gentlemen wearing suits and hats at left hand side of photograph.kathleen nicol, mr smith, violet smith, daisy smith, jean gascoigne, effie gascoigne, elva ball, miss barry, millie todd, stella todd, stella ralf (ralph), rita morgan, world war 1914-1918, australia day 1915, red cross, nurses, patriotic relief fund, fundraising

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

"The outbreak of World War I in August 1914 had an immediate impact on communities across Australia, and it was no different in Melton. Young men began enlisting immediately, and Australia’s initial offer of 20,000 troops was soon exceeded by Victorian enlistments alone. Over the four years of the war, approximately 114,000 Victorians enlisted and around 91,000 servicemen and women were sent overseas. They came not just from Melbourne, but from all over the state; from farms, small towns and suburban areas. They included locals, newly arrived migrants and Indigenous people. The Australian home front was a hive of activity throughout the war, and the Melton community played its part. Following the announcement that Australia was joining the war with Great Britain and its allies on 5 August 1914, the Melton community lost no time in launching into action. A meeting ‘to assist the Red Cross fund’ was held in the Melton Mechanics’ Institute hall on 18 August – just days after the outbreak of the war. Collectors were appointed for each corner of the shire and individual donations were made. A Melton branch of the Australian Red Cross Society was formed in June 1915 and focused its energies on raising funds to purchase material that was used to make clothes for sick and wounded soldiers. A depot was established in Melton to collect clothing and other ‘comfort’ items for the soldiers – including reading material, tobacco, linen, canned foods and soap – and to coordinate the branch’s work and activities. Local cab driver Percival Stubbs volunteered to transport all the packages to the Melton railway station, until he enlisted and departed for the front in 1916. Such were the numbers of people getting involved that branches were also established in Toolern Vale and Rockbank. Regular community events were held to farewell soldiers who were leaving on active service and to welcome those who returned home. Gunner Robert (Bob) Wynne, whose uncle’s family ran the general store in Toolern Vale, was presented with a pair of field glasses (binoculars), a gold watch, inscribed locket and autographed letter by the Toolern Vale community before he set sail for the front in 1916. His mother noted that he ‘sailed away in good spirits with a smile till out of sight’. From June 1915 to June 1919, the Melton Red Cross branch donated 2,156 pairs of socks, 1,357 shirts, 425 kit bags, 251 pillowslips, 224 towels and 121 pairs of pajamas. Countless fundraising events were held, including jumble fairs, concerts and gift evenings. Local schools also encouraged students to contribute through fund-raising and making and collecting comforts for the soldiers. People across the country engaged in similar activities, but Victoria’s rural communities found unique ways of contributing. In Melton, people were encouraged to send rabbits and hares ‘in good condition’ to an exporter in Spencer Street, for export to Belgium ‘for the relief of those suffering". Special Anzac Memorial article featured in the Star Weeklylocal identities, war