| Main Performers | Lord Parmoor (Chairman),
The Lord Bishop of Southwark,
Principal A K Garvie DD,
Henry Noel Brailsford,
Miss Maude Royden,
Mr Robert Smillie (President of the Miners' Federation),
Eglantyne Jebb,
Mrs C R Buxton,
Earl Beauchamp,
Lieutenant Commander The Hon. J M Kenworthy - speakers
Dorothy Moulton - vocal,
Mr Charles Warner - organ |
| Set List | 'Hidden Tears', Schumann (Dorothy Moulton)
'The Harvest of Sorrow', Rachmaninoff (Dorothy Moulton),
Organ Recital (Charles Warner)
Opening (Lord Parmoor),
First Resolution (Principal A K Garvie),
Speech and Second Resolution (Mr Smillie),
Speech (Mr H N Brailsford),
Third Resolution (Earl Beauchamp),
Speech (Lieutenant Commander Kenworthy) |
| Performance Notes | A pressure group, the Fight the Famine Council, was set up in 1919 to persuade the British government to end the Allied blockade of Germany and Austro-Hungarian economies following the First World War. The children of these countries were suffering the threat of famine from the effects of war made worse by such a blockade.
On 19 May 1919, Eglantyne Jebb and her sister Dorothy Buxton, held a 'Famine Meeting' at the Royal Albert Hall with a view to raising funds for the many children across Europe who had been left destitute and starving after the war.
Eglantyne Jebb, stated that 'it is impossible for us as normal human beings to watch children starve to death without making an effort to save them... We have only one object, to save as many as possible. We have only one rule, we shall help them whatever their country, whatever their religion.'
Dorothy outlined the plan for the 'Save the Children Fund'. 'I stand here tonight to appeal to you for the lives of the children ... Do not let us forget what it means that there are many hundreds of thousands of parents today, whose awful doom it has been and still is to watch their children grow weaker, to see them whither and perish before their eyes, while they are helpless to save them.'
The Save the Children fund was launched there and then as a spontaneous public collection was taken up around the hall.
Others who attended the meeting included Right Hon. F D Acland, Mrs Asquith, Reverend Canon Barnes (Master of the Temple), Mr G Lowes Dickinson, Mr James Armand de Rothschild, Mr W Carter (NUR Executive), Miss Picton Turberville CBE, Mr H H Elvis (General Secretary National Union of Clerks), Dr Hagberg Wright and Mr Noel Buxton.
"Great Albert Hall Rally Tonight: "Bob" Smillie to Speak.
So widespread had been the interest shown by the general public in the Albert Hall meeting organised by the Fight the Famine Council, which is to be held to-night at eight o'clock at the Albert Hall, that all tickets were applied for nearly a week in advance."
(The Daily Mail, 19 May 1919)
"Denunciation of Harsh Peace Terms at Albert Hall Meeting.
Englishmen have declared that they do not make war on women and children. Englishwomen have protested that the aims for which their men folk fought were not the annihilation of another nation. Men and women of all classesm of all shades of political belief, made a united protest last evening at the Albert Hall against the peace that is no peace, with its denial of the elemental attributes of sportsmanship and fairplay.
...The hall was crowded with people who had left the summer sunshine and the cool green spaces to join in the repuditation of the settlement of Paris.
The meeting pledged itself to three points: the necessity of an international policy based on humanity, impartial justice, andthe spirit of Chirstian charity and mutual service; the necessity of pressing forward every measure of effective relief to meet the appalling conditions of the famine disticts, and especialy to stay the mortality among children; finally, the removal of all barriers likely to prevent economic development."
(The Times, 20 May 1919) |
| Related Archival Material | Programme (RAHE/1/1919/35) |