BELGIAN RELIEF FUND
Organisers of this group were: Chairman Mayor T T Hollway, Cr W D Hill, Hon Treasurer Mr Charles J King, Hon Secretary Mr W H Chandler and Auditor Mr D Walker. At the final meeting held at Ballarat City Hall on 24 July 1919, it was stated that from 11 March 1915 to 25 February 1919, subscriptions totalled £5660.13.0, including £980 from Ballaarat [sic] East. It was remarked that of the total funds raised, expenses were only £63.18.0. This included the purchase of buttons, badges, flags, etc, bank charges for cabling remittances, advertising and printing. There was expenditure for joint Red Cross concerts at Egerton and Mollonghip, and each branch received a share of the proceeds. The total remitted to London was £5449.1.0. The balance remaining in the account of £98.9.0 was to be forwarded to the fund for the orphaned babes of France.
The Ballarat Courier Friday 3 March 1916 Page 3 - report
CLOTHING FOR BELGIANS
The following letter has been received by Mrs Martell, who through the kind assistance of many generous-hearted Ballarat women has been enabled to forward upwards of 1700 garments to the poor of Belgium.
Belgium Clothing Depot, Commerce House, Melbourne, 29 February 1916 – Dear Madam, Tour letters of the 14th December and 11th January came when the depot was closed. We reopened a week ago, and have seen your beautiful donations, for which we thank you most sincerely. A further shipment of 70 large cases will be forwarded to Belgium next month. I am, dear madam, yours faithfully for the committee, D Vanderkale.
In this connection Mrs (Florence) Martell desires to thank Mrs Bruce of Raglan Street, the pupils of Golden Point and Pleasant Street schools, and numerous unknown donors for their valued contributions, and will be pleased to take charge of and forward any other donations that may be left at the City Hall or 16 Wendouree Parade for the use of the distressed Belgians. Mrs Martell would further be glad of any cast off art serge curtains for the purpose of making Balaclava caps for those of our boys who are going to the Front.