Knitting for Victory

Potton Schools, 1911 [Z1306/91/24/2]

Thursday 24th December 1914: A large number of Christmas gifts provided by Bedfordshire schoolchildren have been collected at the Shire Hall and are ready to be sent out to Bedfordshire men serving in the forces. Children throughout the county have been knitting scarves, mittens, body belts, socks, and shirts. Quite a few boys have been at work as well as the girls. Nearly all the socks contain a little present of tobacco, mints or sweets,  and letters and messages have been attached to their handiwork by the children. A youngster from Ravensden wrote “Dear Soldier, I hope this scarf will help to keep you warm this cold weather. Hoping you had a jolly Christmas, and wishing you good luck.”

The County Education Committee supplied 80lbs of wool for making body belts, 150lbs for socks, and 230 lbs for scarves and mittens. This was expected to provide around 410 belts, 470 pairs of socks, 570 scarves and 380 pairs of mittens. In addition to this some schools have also collected money to buy extra materials and have been making things for the men of their own villages or in response to other appeals. Potton School also made shirts for soldiers out of warm flannel. The original funds provided by the Education Committee are almost exhausted, but it is expected that they will continue this educational and patriotic scheme.

Source: Bedfordshire Times, 1st January 1915.