Lord Roberts Memorial Workshops

Field Marshal Lord Roberts, who had won the Victoria Cross in 1857, had long campaigned for more to be done for ex-servicemen, especially those who had been disabled. He took a keen interest in the Workshops and became one of the Trustees. Following his death in 1914 while visiting troops in France it was decided, as a memorial to him, to expand the workshops and to name them after him.
By 1920 there were eleven Workshops around the country producing a wide variety of goods including basket ware, toys, beds and bedding and all types of furniture.

As a fund raising scheme Miniature Tanks were produced to collect money, Mrs. Erskine a successful Eastbourne fund raiser started the scheme rolling in Eastbourne.

This editorial appeared on 11th September 1918 in the Eastbourne Gazette

Miniature Tank Week

"In another column will be noticed an appeal by Mrs. Erskine for support in connection with a special “Week.” She is arranging to commence on September 30. The object is a most worthy one, viz, to assist the Lord Roberts Memorial Workshops Fund, which provides practical training for men who have been disabled in the service of their country. It will be remembered that last summer the tireless Mrs. Erskine organised a fete which proved extraordinarily successful. Such a project cannot be repeated this year, and Mrs. Erskine, stimulated by the result of Eastbourne Tank Week, has decided to make weeks collection with the aid of miniature tanks. There is a scheme in progress for the establishment of a workshop at Brighton for the training of disabled and limbless men belonging to our own county regiment and the regiments to two neighbouring counties, and it is to this object that the collections will be devoted. The least Sussex people can do is to provide for their own countrymen who have paid all but the full price for England and Eastbourne must cheerfully bear a share of the burden. We must see that those who have suffered the supreme agony of war-disablement are made care-free and a happy as possible. A means to this end the Lord Roberts Memorial Worksops Fund, which will give the broken soldier the opportunity to learn and work at a trade suitable to his disability, and thus, with the aid of his pension, make him self-supporting and free from the stigma of charity. Such a scheme cannot but be very near the hearts of Eastbourne people and Mrs. Erskine must inevitably achieve success in her Miniature Tank Week."

A week later Mrs Erskine wrote to the Gazette (18th September 1918) and they published her letter.

The Lord Roberts Memorial Workshops.

Sir, - The Tanks have come. I hope Eastbourne will remember that, though I have not got a flag day in aid of the above, I am waiting for people to take a “tank money box” and collect during the week, September 30 to October 5. Messers. Chadwick Ltd. Have generously lent me 38 Grove road as my office. Two disabled men will be there from the Brighton workshops for that week to answer all questions. The reason why it is so costly to equip the workshops with the machinery is that it has to be specially designed to fit the requirements of one-armed and one-legged men. Patronise the entertainments got up during the week. Show the disabled men your enthusiasm and zeal. They are looking for it.

The Sussex, Kent and Hants men are to be provided for at this big workshop in Brighton. Look at the plan of it, which will be on view in my “Shop.” The sooner the money comes in the quicker it can be built. Your money is a thank offering to these men: make it worthy. I wish I could stir you all to give generously. Their generous giving meant life itself and failing life, a broken body; for you and me. The only ask now to be enabled to earn a living for themselves and those they love. I pray you give it. Let us also say, as they did: “We are at your disposal to death.”

Yours truly, M. Erskine.
Local Hon. Secretary, Treasurer and Organising Secretary.