| AdminHistory | Poplar War Savings Local Central Committee was established during the First World War between 1916 and 1917 to help local people with their savings. It was affilliated to the National War Savings Committee which began in April 1916.
The National War Savings Committee, later the National Savings Committee, covered England and Wales, with separate organisations set up for Scotland and Ireland. It encouraged the organisation of local voluntary savings associations, and introduced war savings deposits, later known as war savings certificates, which were sold through the Post Office and Trustee Savings Banks.
Like most local committees the Secretary was based in the local authority. Poplar's was based at the Mayor's Parlour at the Metropolitan Borough of Poplar's council offices. In 1917 the Secretary sent a circular letter to local organisations asking for support for the Borough's Central Food Committee. E. Sylvia Pankhurst [Estelle Sylvia Pankhurst, 1882-1960], suffragette and political activist, and Honorary Secretary of the Workers' Suffrage Federation offered in reply assistance from their three centres. At the time the Federation was based at 400 Old Ford Road, Bow.
For more details on the savings movement, visit The National Archives blog: https://blog.nationalarchives.gov.uk/every-little-helps-the-history-of-the-national-savings-movement/ (accessed 17 February 2022) |
| CustodialHistory | Formerly held in Local History Library Press Cuttings series, class 100 P. |