I have no idea who collected the charity flags shown in the pictures below. Nor do I know why. They were in my mother's effects. She was born in Birmingham in 1905. The majority I have shown seem to be of the era around WW1.
The flags on Sheet 1 are for local charities. Flag B may not be local. It says only 'Police Aided Charity' unlike Flag C which adds 'Birmingham' to that name. Flag B was difficult to photocopy. I have never seen a pin like it has. On both sides the basic colour is metallic yellow (brass ?) but now very dark. I had to play around with brightness/contrast. All the others are as photocopied.
Sheet 2 shows flags of Birmingham charities as part of the war effort. The flags on sheet 3 are somewhat different. Flag 2 is for sailors in general, just merchant seaman even and was, maybe, not from the war period. The next two are for the French and Italian Red Cross organisations. It seems unlikely that there would be collections for them except in war or similar times. Italy was on 'our' side in WW1.
Flag X seems to be the Belgian flag. Remember, that “Belgium put the kibosh on the Kaiser ...” at the beginning of WW1. Was this collection to show solidarity that 'gallant little country'? Flags Y and Z are definitely post WW1, just. They show the flag of Imperial Russia.
The flags on Sheet 1 are for local charities. Flag B may not be local. It says only 'Police Aided Charity' unlike Flag C which adds 'Birmingham' to that name. Flag B was difficult to photocopy. I have never seen a pin like it has. On both sides the basic colour is metallic yellow (brass ?) but now very dark. I had to play around with brightness/contrast. All the others are as photocopied.
Sheet 2 shows flags of Birmingham charities as part of the war effort. The flags on sheet 3 are somewhat different. Flag 2 is for sailors in general, just merchant seaman even and was, maybe, not from the war period. The next two are for the French and Italian Red Cross organisations. It seems unlikely that there would be collections for them except in war or similar times. Italy was on 'our' side in WW1.
Flag X seems to be the Belgian flag. Remember, that “Belgium put the kibosh on the Kaiser ...” at the beginning of WW1. Was this collection to show solidarity that 'gallant little country'? Flags Y and Z are definitely post WW1, just. They show the flag of Imperial Russia.