Charity flag, flagday emblem

This charity lapel pin was purchased by Ernest King from a charity street seller on Alexandra Rose Day, 20th June 1917.
The annual Alexandra Rose Day was launched in 1912 by the Dowager Queen Alexandra to commemorate what would have been the 50th Anniversary of her marriage to the late King Edward VII and arrival in England from her birthplace of Denmark. The charity was originally established to alleviate poverty in the UK but also raised funds for those affected by World War I.
The pink linen rose emblems sold for Alexandra Rose Day were made by disabled girls employed in John Groom's Crippleage, a charity established in 1866 to support London's destitute, orphaned and disabled girls. For the first flag day in 1912 they produced 10,000 roses the sale of which raised considerable funds that benefited London hospitals. During the following years and throughout the First World War the day was a major event in the London summer season with the much beloved Dowager Queen Alexandra playing an active role in the day. Following the end of World War I the charity continued to successfully raise considerable funds for London hospitals through it's popular annual Flag Days. The charity, now known as Alexandra Rose Charities continues today to support London's poorest citizens.

During World War I nearly 18,000 charities were founded in the UK to raise funds for those affected by war. For the 37,000 charities operating before the war the emergence of war charities inevtability had an impact on their ability to raise funds. Competition was fierce and 'donor fatigue' was feared. However, the formal allocation of flagdays ensured all charities, including those founded before the war such as Alexandra Rose Day, had the opportunity of fundraising through lucrative street collections.