Camden Red Cross wartime sewing group honoured with Blue Plaque

The state government's Blue Plaques program, inspired by the same in the UK, was recently introduced to honour important people or groups, events and places from local history.

Of the more than 750 nominations received in the first round, the Camden Red Cross women's wartime sewing groups were among just 17 successful bids to be accepted.

A Blue Plaque will be installed at Camden Library, formerly the Camden Town Hall, where the Red Cross women met to make garments and more during the World War I and World War II.

Dr Willis submitted the nomination and is pleased to see the remarkable women recognised.

"I think women's wartime history, in the First and Second World Wars, has remained in the shadows for too long," he said.

"It needs to be highlighted and there in plain view, Not so much in the city, but in country towns and regions.

"In this time period the women all over it, and everyone has perhaps not ignored it, forgotten about it.

"Hopefully this gets people interested and they might even decide to read my book."

Dr Willis has, literally, written the book on these sewing circles: Ministering Angels - The Camden District Red Cross, 1914-1945. It is available at Camden Museum.

He said the efforts of the Camden women was indicative of many women across the country at the same time.

"Sewing circles were 'quasi-industrial production lines' where Camden women implemented their domestics skills to aid the war at home," Dr Willis wrote in his blog, Camden History Notes.

"Camden women cut out, assembled, and sewed together hospital supplies, including flannel shirts, bed shirts, pyjamas, slippers, underpants, feather pillows, bed linen, handkerchiefs, and kit bags. The workshops were lent a number of sewing machines in both wars.

"The sewing circles also coordinated knitting and spinning for bed socks, stump socks, mufflers, balaclava caps, mittens, cholera belts (body binders) and other items. The women also made 'hussifs' or sewing kits for the soldiers."

He noted there were 80-100 women gathering every week (on Tuesdays) during the First World War, and they made more than 20,000 articles in 40,000 volunteer hours.

The output was even greater during WWII, where 25,000 articles were made in 45,000 hours.

Camden MP Peter Sigreaves said he was also thrilled to see Camden recognised in the Blue Plaques program.

"It is such an honour to have one of the first publically nominated recipients of the Blue Plaque Program in Camden," he said.

"The Camden Red Cross Sewing Circles was one of the most important voluntary patriotic activities during World Wars One and Two and are very worthy recipients of such an honour.

"The efforts of the women who volunteered and donated so much to military and field hospital supplies for injured troops. Every time we see the Blue Plaque, we will be reminded of the women of The Red Cross Sewing Circles' selfless contribution during one of the hardest and darkest times in our history.

"Thank you to our community for nominating the Camden Red Cross Sewing Circles so that we can know their story."