Historical information

Given to donor by a post WW I Sister-in-charge, who reported they were made by war refugees stationed in Egypt (Armenian people).

Significance

In September 1915, 4,000 Armenians, refugees from Northern Syria, found a home on the eastern bank of the Suez Canal at Port Said.
The refugees lived in tents and were engaged in the industrial work of 'The Friends of Armenia' - making "Alexandra" handkerchiefs, wool rugs, shirts for English soldiers, crochet, tatting and needle-lace, netmaking (taught to meet the demand for nets to keep flies out of hospitals), weavers of handmade Armenian cloth and makers of wooden spoons and forks.
All profit went to support the workers and to improve living conditions.

Physical description

Alexandra hankerchiefs.
- One complete handkerchief of linen with hem stitched edge decorated with a simple Armenian edge needle point lace.
- Part only of a similar hankerchief but with a finer edge and a small decoration in the corner of drawn thread work.