Advert for Queen Marys Needlework Guild.

This advert for Queen Mary’s Needlework Guild appeared in The Times in April 1916.

It asks for a contribution, specifically £50.00. This was obviously targeting the wealthy as in most working cases the amount would have equated to almost a yearly salary.

It was estimated that most families in 1915 spent approx £2 a week on their: food, clothing and utilities, which was about 75% of their total income, thus making a yearly salary for middle class families around £150.00.


The advert reads:

Will you help to bandage a wounded soldier?

We are Sending bandages, splints, and all kinds of surgical dressings to our wounded soldiers at Salonkia, at the Persian Gulf, in France and Belguim, also to those in our home hospitals.

Will you send a little money?

If you have not, please do so now. We also need ward shirts, pyjamas, socks, bed jackets, pillows and hot water bottles.

Knitted socks
Urgently needed
For our Soldiers

Help us in this great work, please. Everything is supplied free of cost to our soldiers and those of our Allies. All the work is done voluntarily. Every penny subscribed spent in material. Everything you send reaches the wounded quickly.

A Cheque for £50
Will do wonders now.
Will you send it?

Come and see what is done with the money and articles that are so kindly sent to us. See the splendid work our women are doing in making bandages etc for our wounded soldiers. See what men can do in making splints, packing cases etc. All volunteers. Come and see and give all you can spare. Know that you too, helped o make a soldiers suffer less pain and helped to bring him back to health and happiness.