It was used when Anna Guérin’s French-made poppies were distributed on the Leicestershire streets on 11 November 1921 – the very first British Legion’s Haig Fund Poppy Day in Great Britain. It had been allocated to the British Legion’s Earl Shilton Branch, of Earl Shilton, Leicestershire, and is duly stamped accordingly. The collage of images, shown above, depicts a very rare surviving 1921 British Legion Poppy Day / Remembrance Day Collecting Tin is a very rare find indeed. Folkestone, Hythe, Sandgate & Cheriton Herald).Ī British Legion 1921 Haig Fund Remembrance Day / Poppy Day Collecting Tin. poppies were given to London manufacturers, but the demand was so great that it was impossible to get enough to London, and they had to send to France, Coventry and many parts of the country, and were even then unable to meet all demands.” (. in France, where they were manufactured by the women and children in the devastated areas. Western Gazette) “The Legion purchased small “poppies” for 3d. In British newspaper reports of the time, Haig is credited with originating the term “Remembrance Day” AND the Poppy Day – but the latter was Anna Guérin’s ‘Inter-Allied Poppy Day’ idea.ġ921: “selling impromptu poppies made from red ribbon” (. This poppy and its accompanying note from Field Marshal Douglas Haig were laid at the London Cenotaph on 11 November 1921. The poppy shown above belongs to the Green Howards Museum in Richmond, North Yorkshire. Madame Guérin personally paid for the British consignment because the Legion was so poor and was reimbursed after the Armistice Day distribution.įield Marshal Douglas Haig’s 1921 Poppy. After taking her idea to Field Marshal Douglas Haig and the British Legion, Madame Guérin’s poppies (made by the widows and orphans/women and children of the devastated areas of France) were distributed on British streets on 11 November 1921 – on the country’s first Poppy Day.
It all started with Madame Guérin’s ‘Inter-Allied Poppy Day’ idea. They are reproduced here with permission from Collette Olivia Hunter ©ġ921: MADAME GUÉRIN.
Collette’s work has been likened to that of the artists and illustrators Sir Quentin S.
These illustrations formed a small part of the work submitted by Collette, for her Edinburgh College of Art Masters Degree in Illustration. Inspired by the history of The Poppy Factory, Collette created several illustrations and this is her Poppy Lady Madame Guérin and her 1921 British Remembrance Poppy, made by the widows and children of the devastated areas of France. These two beautiful pieces of art (shown above, adjoining) were created by Collette Olivia Hunter. Reproduced with permission from Collette Olivia Hunter© Inspired illustrations of Madame Guérin and her 1921 British Remembrance Poppy.