Agnes Brysson Morrison (1867-1934, Inglis) was a Scotswoman who is credited with inventing "flag days" when small flags or badges, usually of paper, are given in exchange for donations to charity collections.

Charitable work

Morrison's first recorded collection was in 1900 when she raised money for the Fund for Sufferers in the South African War (the

Boer war The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the Sout ...

). On 5 September 1914 she organised her first flag day, raising £3,800 in Scotland for Soldiers' and Sailors' Families Association one month after the start of

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

. 3,600 volunteers sold small

Union Jack The Union Jack, or Union Flag, is the ''de facto'' national flag of the United Kingdom. Although no law has been passed making the Union Flag the official national flag of the United Kingdom, it has effectively become such through precedent. ...

flags, on pins, to be worn by the donors. It has been said that she raised £25 million before the end of the war. The Alexandra Rose Day had already, in 1912, raised money by the sale of artificial roses in exchange for charitable donations, so Morrison's flag day was not the first time that wearable tokens had been used in charitable collections. A postcard was published by Maclure Macdonald &co of Glasgow, showing a portrait of Morrison surrounded by a display of flags, with the text: She was the President of the Glasgow Branch of the

Scottish Children's League of Pity Children 1st, previously known as the Royal Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children, is a Scottish charity which aims to give every child in Scotland a safe and secure childhood. Children 1st supports families under stress, protect ...

for "many years". She was appointed CBE in 1920, cited as "Organizer of Collections for War Charities".

Personal life

Morrison was born in 1867, daughter of a Glasgow lawyer. She married Arthur Mackie Morrison, an engineer, and they had six children including Agnes (1903-1986), who published novels and biographies as

Nancy Brysson Morrison ''For the American tennis player, see Nancy Morrison.'' Agnes Morrison or Agnes Brysson Inglis Morrison; Nancy Morrison; Christine Strathern (24 December 1903 – 27 February 1986) was a Scottish writer. She wrote biographies, novels and some ...

and as Christine Strathern. A source states that her husband was

Lord Provost of Glasgow The Right Honourable Lord Provost of Glasgow is the convener of the Glasgow City Council. Elected by the city councillors, the Lord Provost serves not only as the chair of that body, but as a figurehead for the entire city. The office is equ ...

at the time of the 1914 collection, but the post was held in 1914 by

Daniel Stevenson Daniel is a masculine Masculinity (also called manhood or manliness) is a set of attributes, behaviors, and roles associated with men and boys. Masculinity can be theoretically understood as socially constructed, and there is also evide ...

succeeded by Thomas Dunlop. She died in 1934.

References

External links

Photograph by Lafayette
at

Imperial War Museum Imperial War Museums (IWM) is a British national museum organisation with branches at five locations in England, three of which are in London. Founded as the Imperial War Museum in 1917, the museum was intended to record the civil and military ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Morrison, Agnes 1867 births 1934 deaths British charity and campaign group workers