Queensland Soldiers' Comforts Fund, a working subdivision of the Australian Comforts Fund, was established during World War I. The purpose of the Fund was to provide comforts to soldiers on active service. This was achieved via appeals for donations, public subscriptions, and organising fundraising activities. Numerous branches of the Queensland Soldiers' Comforts Fund were spread throughout Queensland, Australia during this period. [1]
Queensland Soldiers' Comforts Fund was inaugurated at a public meeting convened by the Mayoress of Brisbane on 21 September 1915. A committee for the fund was formed with Lady Elsie Goold-Adams, wife of the Governor of Queensland Sir Hamilton John Goold-Adams, elected as patroness, and Lady Cowley, wife of former politician Sir Alfred Cowley, appointed president. Premises for the operation of the Queensland Soldiers' Comforts Fund was secured at Panbury House in Eagle Street, Brisbane. [2]
One of the committee's first activities was to appeal for public donations of various items that could be dispatched to soldiers overseas in time for Christmas. Accepted items included shirts, undershirts with short sleeves, mufflers, balaclava caps, handkerchiefs, writing pads, envelopes, pencils, pipes, tobacco, cigarettes, bootlaces, toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, Vaseline, sweets, coffee, games, books and magazines. [2] [3]
By the end of World War I, the Queensland Soldiers' Comfort Fund declared that since October 1915 they had packed and shipped 5,010 cases to soldiers overseas, which included 17,324 shirts and 37,983 pairs of socks. [2]
Queensland Soldiers' Comforts Fund established a number of branches outside of their main Brisbane office. These included Ayr, Beaudesert, Beerwah, Benaraby, Bowen, Bundaberg, Caboolture, Calliope Valley, Charters Towers, Degilbo, Emu Creek, Eumundi, Goondiwindi, Ipswich, Isis Girls' Club, Kedron, Laidley, Lake Clarendon, Longreach, Many Peaks, Mapleton, Maroochy River, Maroon, Memerambi, Mitchell, Morven, Mount Morgan, Nambour, Nanango, Ormiston, Poona, Pialba, Sandgate, Tallebudgera, Townsville, Tiaro, Toogoolawah, Warra, Wattle Branch and Wynnum. [2]
Queensland Soldiers' Comfort Fund oversaw several fundraising operations.
The Coo-ee Cafe was a volunteer-run cafe initially situated in the basement of the Brisbane Club building in Adelaide Street, Brisbane, before moving to the ground floor. The cafe was in operation between 6 February 1917 and 23 November 1918. During this period over £7,600 (approximately 40 percent of profits made by the cafe) were contributed to various comforts funds. [2]
War-time Kitchen in Southport, Queensland was opened in September 1917 and operated by volunteers. The kitchen sold home-made cakes, sweets, jams and pickles. [4] Seventy-five percent of profits made went towards the Queensland Soldiers' Comforts Fund, averaging £40 per month. [2]
Situated in a shop in the Podmore and Hall building in Adelaide Street, Brisbane, the Jam Shop sold home-made jams and pickles to the public. [5] [6] The shop averaged £25 per month of profits for the Fund. [2]
During the annual Brisbane Exhibition at the Exhibition Grounds in 1917 and 1918, the Queensland Soldiers' Comforts Fund maintained its own refreshment stall, selling sandwiches, fruit and soft drinks with proceeds going toward the Fund. [7] The stall realized profits of £301 and £640 respectively. [2]
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The Queensland War Council (1915–1932) was established by the Queensland Government to co-ordinate Queensland's assistance to World War I soldiers and their dependents.
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David John Garland (1864–1939) was an Anglican clergyman and a military chaplain in Queensland, Australia. As senior army camp chaplain in Queensland from 1914 to 1917, Garland experienced the World War I both at home and at the front. He was one of the originators of the now annual Anzac Day ceremonies. Described as "overpoweringly energetic with a distinctive flair, if not genius, for organisation", he played a pivotal role in the Queensland experience of the war, and was a central figure in a variety of committees and organisations established to aid the war effort and support or commemorate serving or returned soldiers.
Annie Margaret Wheeler was an Australian volunteer welfare worker who assisted soldiers from Central Queensland during World War I. She maintained a detailed card index of all soldiers from Central Queensland so that mail and parcels from their families could reach them and she provided practical and financial assistance to soldiers who were wounded, on leave in England or needing assistance with the army's bureaucracy. She was nicknamed "Mother of the Queenslanders" and "Mother of Anzacs".
Formed in 1900, the Queensland Patriotic Fund was responsible for raising funds and fund administration to provide financial and other assistance to those who were serving or had served in the armed forces of Australia, as well as offering support to their families.
Lady Elsie Goold-Adams was a Canadian-born Australian who was the inaugural president of the Queensland division of the Australian Red Cross and led the activities of the division during World War I. During this time she was also a charity patron for causes relating to supporting soldiers in the war effort, advancing the roles of women, and child education and welfare. She was married to Sir Hamilton John Goold-Adams, the 12th Governor of Queensland.