The Poppy Factory is celebrating 100 years. The Poppy Factory was founded in 1922 by Major George Howson MC, a British Artmy officer who was awarded the Military Cross in 1917. Howson’s vision to provide employment for veterans injured during the First World War.
Major Howson began with modest expectations. In May 1922, after receiving £2,000 from the British Legion to open a poppy-making factory, he wrote to his parents: ‘If the experiment is successful, it will be the start of an industry to employ 150 men. I do not think it can be a great success, but it is worth trying.’
That modesty was misplaced. The Poppy Factory was an immediate triumph. By 1931, the factory was making nearly 30 million poppies a year. A community of 320 men, women and children lived on the estate in Richmond-upon-Thames, where veterans in our production team still produce Remembrance wreaths by hand today.
The poppy, as the symbol of the suffering which took place, was inspired by a poem written by Lt. Colonel John McCrae, a Canadian surgeon in the British army, who died in January 1918:
And in Flanders Fields, the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row
That Mark our place; and in the sky
The Larks still bravely singing fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below
The story of our community is brought vividly to life at our visitor centre. It is the story of those first workers, how they lived and how their hard work helped build our shared Remembrance tradition. And it is the story of all those veterans we have supported since; veterans who have taken on diverse roles throughout society as our employment support service has grown.
From its very first days, The Poppy Factory has built a supportive environment for veterans with health conditions, harnessing their skills and experience and empowering them to build a brighter future. Today, we help hundreds of veterans throughout England and Wales on their journey into meaningful employment.
Make your own poppy or wreath: Join one of The Poppy Factory’s hosted discovery sessions at its new visitor centre in Richmond. Explore the exhibition, discover the story of Remembrance and see how veterans still make Royal and regimental wreaths by hand. You can even have a go at making your own poppy and wreath.
The Museum of Richmond also has an exhibition celebrating the first 100 years of the Poppy Factory – on until May ‘23. poppyfactory.org / museumofrichmond.com
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