Group    From 8/7/1915  To 1919

Silver Thimble Fund

Categories: Benefactor

Miss {Elizabeth} H. E. Hope-Clarke of Wimbledon, inspired by her own damaged silver thimble, started collecting damaged or unwanted thimbles and other trinkets to contribute to the war effort. She launched the appeal in The Times newspaper in 1915. Undamaged items were sold, others were melted down.

Your Local Guardian tells the story: "Miss Hope-Clarke and her sister were soon joined by Lady Maud Wilbraham and a staff of volunteers. Some 60,000 thimbles were rapidly converted into two ambulances as vast quantities of trinkets arrived at the Hope-Clarkes’ Wimbledon house {2 Church Road}, which remained the fund’s headquarters for nearly the entire period of the war."

Queen Alexandra, the King's mother, became the patron of the fund which went international, to the colonies and beyond. Closed down at the end of the Great War, the charity was re-established in WW2.

Our picture shows one of the ambulances bought by the fund.

This section lists the memorials created by the subject on this page:
Silver Thimble Fund

Creations i

Thimble shelters - north

The navy has been referred to as "Britain's sure shield" since, at least, Tra...

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Thimble shelters - south

{On the panel, facing the Palace:} Erected by "The Silver Thimble Fund", 1919...

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Other Subjects

Mary Gray Ratray

Mary Gray Ratray

Miss Mary Gray Ratray of 41 Tavistock Square. Died St Pancras leaving a legacy of £23,000 to the charities of the metropolis. This was administered by her executors Edwin Bedford and Charles Jellic...

Person, Benefactor

1 memorial
Michael Thomas Whitehall

Michael Thomas Whitehall

Benefactor of Catford. Andrew Behan has provide his research findings: Michael Thomas Whitehall was born on 18 October 1816 in Southend, Lewisham, Kent, the elder son and the fourth of the seven c...

Person, Benefactor

1 memorial