大象传媒

Tall and slim, with red gold hair; Eglantyne Jebb was born in Shropshire and grew up on the family estate in Ellesmere.

She was a bright, intelligent young woman and went on to study history at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford before training to be a teacher. After a year she realised it was not her vocation, and health problems prevented her continuing.

Towards the end of the Great War she and her sister Dorothy realised the war and the Allied blockade were causing huge suffering to the children of Germany and Austro-Hungary.

In 1919, after having been arrested for distributing leaflets picturing a starving child, Dorothy and Eglantyne launched Save the Children Fund at the Royal Albert Hall and quickly raised a large sum of money. It was supposed to be short term help for children and Eglantyne took charge, making it into a professional organisation and recruiting a manager.

Her brilliant innovative work continues today.

Location: The Lyth, Ellesmere, Shropshire SY12 0HR
Image: The Lyth in 1917, courtesy of Richard Jebb, compared with how it stands in 2014

Show less