Poppy Factory
Encyclopedia
The Poppy Factory is a factory in Richmond, Surrey, where remembrance poppies
are made. It was established in 1922 and makes approximately 36 million poppies each year. Lady Haig's Poppy Factory in Edinburgh
was established in 1926 and makes approximately five million remembrance poppies each year.
by Madame Anna Guérin, but in 1922 the Disabled Society, a charity established in 1920 by Major George Howson
MC and Major Jack Cohen
, received a grant of £2,000 from the British Legion to employ disabled ex-service personnel to make remembrance poppies in England. They set up in a former collar factory on the Old Kent Road
. Soon the factory was employing 50 disabled veterans. The factory made a million poppies within two months.
In November 1924, the Prince of Wales
(later Edward VIII) visited the Poppy Factory, which made 27 million poppies that year. Most of the employees were disabled, and by then there was a long waiting list for prospective employees.
The old collar factory eventually proved too small as demand increased, and in 1925 the factory moved to the disused brewery site in Richmond that is still its home. The name of the charity was changed to the British Legion Poppy Factory at about the same time. In 1933 the factory was rebuilt on the same site.
As of 2011, the Richmond factory is operated by Royal British Legion through a separate company, The Royal British Legion Poppy Factory Ltd, and employs approximately 40 full-time workers, most of whom are disabled, who make the poppies throughout the year in preparation for Remembrancetide. In addition, the charity employs approximately 90 home workers who live within 10 miles of the factory. Total production is approximately 36 million poppies each year, although it has been as high as 45 million and there were once 365 workers.
The Richmond factory also makes approximately 80,000 poppy wreaths each year, including the wreaths laid by Queen Elizabeth, other members of the British Royal Family
, and British politicians at the National Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph
on Remembrance Sunday
. It also makes wooden tokens of remembrance (originally remembrance crosses, now a variety of shapes for different religions, including for 'no faith') and organises the Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey
.
The premises are open to the public for guided tours. It also assists wounded, injured and sick ex-service men and women to find employment outside the factory.
. If grew from two employees in a former wood-chopping factory in the grounds of Whitefoord House to employ over 100 people by the mid-1930s, with a waiting list of over 300. In addition to the main task of making poppies, the employees made other goods by hand which were sold at three shops in Edinburgh and by a travelling shop throughout Scotland. The factory moved to its current premises, a former printing works, in 1965. Staffing levels and the range of good made at the factory gradually declined after the Second World War, and increasing annual deficits were funded by contributions from the Earl Haig Fund Scotland
. In 1998, the factory became an independent charitable company, The Lady Haig Poppy Factory Ltd, owned by Earl Haig Fund Scotland Ltd.
The factory is operated by the Earl Haig Fund Scotland
and also employs ex-service personnel, many disabled, making five million remembrance poppies in Edinburgh each year, to a slightly different design with four-lobed petals rather than two for English poppies, and 8,000 wreaths.
Remembrance poppy
The remembrance poppy has been used since 1920 to commemorate soldiers who have died in war. They were first used in the United States to commemorate soldiers who died in World War I . Today, they are mainly used in current and former Commonwealth states to commemorate their servicemen and women...
are made. It was established in 1922 and makes approximately 36 million poppies each year. Lady Haig's Poppy Factory in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
was established in 1926 and makes approximately five million remembrance poppies each year.
Poppy Factory
Artificial poppies for the first poppy appeal in 1921 had been imported from FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
by Madame Anna Guérin, but in 1922 the Disabled Society, a charity established in 1920 by Major George Howson
George Arthur Howson
Major George Arthur Howson MC was an officer in the British Army in the First World War, and later the founder and chairman of the Royal British Legion Poppy Factory.-Early life:...
MC and Major Jack Cohen
Jack Cohen (politician)
Major Sir Benn Jack Brunel Cohen KBE was a British Conservative Party politician and campaigner on behalf of disabled people...
, received a grant of £2,000 from the British Legion to employ disabled ex-service personnel to make remembrance poppies in England. They set up in a former collar factory on the Old Kent Road
Old Kent Road
The Old Kent Road is a road in South East London, England and forms part of Watling Street, the Roman road which ran from Dover to Holyhead. The street is famous as the equal cheapest property on the London Monopoly board and as the only one in South London....
. Soon the factory was employing 50 disabled veterans. The factory made a million poppies within two months.
In November 1924, the Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
(later Edward VIII) visited the Poppy Factory, which made 27 million poppies that year. Most of the employees were disabled, and by then there was a long waiting list for prospective employees.
The old collar factory eventually proved too small as demand increased, and in 1925 the factory moved to the disused brewery site in Richmond that is still its home. The name of the charity was changed to the British Legion Poppy Factory at about the same time. In 1933 the factory was rebuilt on the same site.
As of 2011, the Richmond factory is operated by Royal British Legion through a separate company, The Royal British Legion Poppy Factory Ltd, and employs approximately 40 full-time workers, most of whom are disabled, who make the poppies throughout the year in preparation for Remembrancetide. In addition, the charity employs approximately 90 home workers who live within 10 miles of the factory. Total production is approximately 36 million poppies each year, although it has been as high as 45 million and there were once 365 workers.
The Richmond factory also makes approximately 80,000 poppy wreaths each year, including the wreaths laid by Queen Elizabeth, other members of the British Royal Family
British Royal Family
The British Royal Family is the group of close relatives of the monarch of the United Kingdom. The term is also commonly applied to the same group of people as the relations of the monarch in her or his role as sovereign of any of the other Commonwealth realms, thus sometimes at variance with...
, and British politicians at the National Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph
The Cenotaph, Whitehall
The Cenotaph is a war memorial located in Whitehall, London. It began as a temporary structure erected for a peace parade following the end of World War I, but following an outpouring of national sentiment it was replaced by a permanent structure and designated the United Kingdom's official war...
on Remembrance Sunday
Remembrance Sunday
In the United Kingdom, 'Remembrance Sunday' is held on the second Sunday in November, which is the Sunday nearest to 11 November Armistice Day. It is the anniversary of the end of hostilities in the First World War at 11 a.m...
. It also makes wooden tokens of remembrance (originally remembrance crosses, now a variety of shapes for different religions, including for 'no faith') and organises the Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
.
The premises are open to the public for guided tours. It also assists wounded, injured and sick ex-service men and women to find employment outside the factory.
Lady Haig's Poppy Factory
A separate factory, Lady Haig's Poppy Factory, was opened in Scotland in March 1926 at the suggestion of Countess Haig, wife of Field Marshal Douglas Haig, 1st Earl HaigDouglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig
Field Marshal Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig, KT, GCB, OM, GCVO, KCIE, ADC, was a British senior officer during World War I. He commanded the British Expeditionary Force from 1915 to the end of the War...
. If grew from two employees in a former wood-chopping factory in the grounds of Whitefoord House to employ over 100 people by the mid-1930s, with a waiting list of over 300. In addition to the main task of making poppies, the employees made other goods by hand which were sold at three shops in Edinburgh and by a travelling shop throughout Scotland. The factory moved to its current premises, a former printing works, in 1965. Staffing levels and the range of good made at the factory gradually declined after the Second World War, and increasing annual deficits were funded by contributions from the Earl Haig Fund Scotland
Earl Haig Fund Scotland
The Earl Haig Fund Scotland, trading as poppyscotland, is a Scottish charity for veterans of the British Armed Forces and their dependants. It was founded in 1921 by Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig as part of the broader British Haig Fund...
. In 1998, the factory became an independent charitable company, The Lady Haig Poppy Factory Ltd, owned by Earl Haig Fund Scotland Ltd.
The factory is operated by the Earl Haig Fund Scotland
Earl Haig Fund Scotland
The Earl Haig Fund Scotland, trading as poppyscotland, is a Scottish charity for veterans of the British Armed Forces and their dependants. It was founded in 1921 by Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig as part of the broader British Haig Fund...
and also employs ex-service personnel, many disabled, making five million remembrance poppies in Edinburgh each year, to a slightly different design with four-lobed petals rather than two for English poppies, and 8,000 wreaths.
External links
- The Poppy Factory
- Lady Haig's Poppy Factory
- The Poppy Factory, Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra blog
- The Poppy Factory, broadcast on BBC Radio 4 at 11am on 9 November 2011