Christmas Bundles for Britain

 Great Britain was overwhelmed by Nazi Germany’s aerial bombing from 1940 to 1942, and German U-boat attacks on shipping caused shortages of critical supplies. In the United States, a nationwide effort to provide nonmilitary aid to the British was called Bundles for Britain, which collected donations of clothing, blankets, and other basic necessities, as well as cash. Bundles for Britain was started soon after the war in Europe broke out by a young mother in New York City named Natalie Latham originally as a knitting project but rapidly expanded its activities.

The coming of a cold British Isles winter in 1941 was making the need for warm shoes and clothing especially acute. For the Christmas season, the National Federation of Music Clubs, or NFMC, a nationwide organization begun in 1898 to promote and support American music, performers and music education for all ages, decided to do its part. The federation organized “A Million Christmas Bundles for Britain from a Million Club Members,” an initiative for a series of “musicales,” some version of a small concert or performance of Christmas music, for which the “price” of admission would be a “bundle” of wool clothing, like wool underwear, sweaters, socks, flannel pajamas or shoes for British men, women, and children.

An article in “The Shreveport Journal” on Friday, Dec 5, 1941, shared the federation’s urgent announcement: "This call is an urgent appeal and each club in every region throughout the state is requested to participate. Instructions for packing and mailing have been given to all regional chairmen and may be obtained from them. Christmas is three short weeks away, and if the bundles are to be collected by that time, it is necessary to act at once. Chairman of the Shreveport region (of which Benton club was a part) is Mrs. Earl Bellows."

The music club of Benton High School, a “junior club” affiliate of the NFMC, was called the St. Cecelia Club after the patron saint of music. The St. Cecelia Club decided to do its part for the Million Christmas Bundles musical events. The high schoolers kept it simple yet festive, holding an “old-fashioned singing of Christmas carols at the high school on Monday, December 15th, where the only charge was a bundle of warm clothing for British men, women or children.” In “The Bossier Banner-Progress” of December 11, 1941, just three days after the U.S. entered World War II following the surprise Japanese attacks on Pearl Harbor, the front-page article about the singing event implored, “Christmas comes to America with war alarms, and ‘giving at Christmas time’ needs no justification when men and women daily ask, ‘What can we do to help?’ By giving material aid we offer also the necessary expression of friendliness and cause for courage, so much needed during trying times.”

It seemed a pretty big task for a group of teens, though this was an impressive group led by club president Becky Hall, daughter of Dr. J.B. and Josie Hall. Whenever roll was called at club meetings, members had to answer with a specific musical or informational exercise. In a December meeting, members answered roll with the name of a Christmas carol and its composer. At another meeting, they answered by singing a line from the inspiring yet vocally challenging U.S. National Anthem. On December 11th, they organized a Christmas tea for their mothers, complete with musical entertainment, just a few days before hosting the urgently planned Christmas Bundles for Britain fundraising event.

If you like learning about World War II, don’t forget to attend World War Tuesdays on the second Tuesday of the month from 10:30 – noon at the History Center. Next month’s meeting is on January 9th. The History Center is located at 2206 Beckett St, Bossier City, LA. We are open M-Th 9-8, Fri 9-6, and Sat 9-5. Our phone number is (318) 746-7717 and our email is history-center@bossierlibrary.org

For other fun facts, photos, and videos, be sure to follow us @BPLHistoryCenter on FB, @bplhistorycenter on TikTok, and check out our blog http://bpl-hc.blogspot.com/.

Images: 

• Bundles for Britain cartoon in the Shreveport Times, Monday, October 20, 1941

• Photo of Becky Hall McCuller. Becky Hall was the president of the St. Cecelia Club and was elected parish chairman of the Bossier Parish Junior Music Club Council, when she was a student at Benton High School. She became a high school music teacher and the first choir director at Bossier High School.

Articloe by: Pam Carlisle