Badge
Category
Coins and medals
Date
1915
Materials
metal
Measurements
34 mm (H)40 mm (W)
Order this imageCollection
Polesden Lacey, Surrey
NT 1246429
Summary
A Maple Leaf Club badge, 1915
Full description
A gold pin is attached to an enamelled circular brooch which is surmounted by a gold crown with touches of red enamel behind the rim. On the dark blue enamel circlet is written: THE KING GEORGE AND QUEEN MARY 1915. In the centre on white enamel is a reddish maple leaf over which is written MAPLE LEAF CLUB. Lady Julia Drummond left her home in Montreal where she worked for the Canadian Red Cross, and arrived in London determined to address the issue of care for the Canadian troops during their leave from the front. The Hon Margaret Greville offered her London house, 11 Charles Street to Lady Julia who had previously visited Polesden Lacey. Supported by King George V and Queen Mary's Clubs and the chairman Rudyard Kipling, II Charles Street became the first Maple Leaf Club offering hospitality and entertainment to Canadian soldiers on leave from the front during WW1. This badge was given to Margaret Greville in acknowledgement of her philanthropy.
Provenance
Awarded to Mrs Greville for her help with the 'Maple Leaf Club', which was a club set up to offer hospitatlity and entertainment to Canadian soldiers in London during the First World War. Date of acquisition not recorded, but probably originally at 16 Charles Street, Mayfair, Mrs Greville's London home, and bequeathed by Margaret McEwan, The Hon. Mrs Ronald Greville (1863-1942) with Polesden Lacey, to the National Trust, in memory of her father, William McEwan (1827-1913) in 1942. This item found on the probate inventory record for Charles Street chattels at Polesden Lacey, miniatures and objects in the safe, page 45.
Marks and inscriptions
V AND S / 9 / 575 / an anchor / S (stamped on reverse)