Red Cross Textiles and Medical Field Textiles

Throughout the history of Lowndes County, citizens have been actively involved in the Red Cross whether formally or informally. There are several textiles which demonstrate this involvement. In addition, the museum also houses a few local medical textiles. These are also noted on this page. If you wish to see any of these textiles in person, please contact the museum for an appointment several days in advance. Please indicate the item(s) with its number you wish to see. These numbers are found at the heading of each item. If you can help us positively identify any of the items on this page, please contact us. Your assistance is greatly appreciated.

Canteen Worker Dress TB 37R11Sa2

The museum textile staff is still looking for information on whom this belonged to.

Material Blue cotton, Light chambray material   Red Cross Canteen Worker Dress
Neckline  v neckline
Collar  white snaps on -5 1/2 inches in back
Full Dress length 49 inches
Construction-machine straight stitch, snaps sewn by hand White selvedges are employed in back facing and side seams
Skirt gusset 4 ¼ inch length  on each side seam
Skirt length  27 ¼ inches
Skirt width approx 78 inches
Cuffs White 7 ½ inches wide with a 1 ¼ hem on each side  Identification-Red Cross canteen worker shield on left cuff only
Belt  self fabric- 3 ½ inch wide-snaps in back
Pocket one large patch pocket out of dress fabric at skirt on left side
Closure Snaps all the way down the back
Date  WWI

Red Cross Veil TB 37R11Sa2

Material cotton gauze in blue white band worn across brow  TB 37 Red Cross Veil front view

Length 30 inches
Width 34 1/2 inches
Band 3 inches, white,  faced with same fabric but folded to measure 1 6/8 in front
Identification Red cross canteen worker patch
Note: The veil was worn to protect the back of the head and neck from sun during long hours of service outside.

White Organdy Red Cross Hat 1982-857-01cTB 37R11Sa2

This hat is attributed to Mrs J.T. Mathis. For more information on Mrs. Mathis, please see the Susie McKey Vertical Collection PEO-M in the museum. We are not exactly sure how this hat was worn. Shown here are two possibilities.

Material Cotton organdy      White Organdy Red Cross Hat

Length 13 1/2 inches
Width 24 1/2
Construction  Machine  straight stitch,  5 – 2 ½ inch pintucks below the Red Cross symbol , gathers in back  horizontally to 1 inch and is sewn vertically  together 1 1/2 inches below this gathering.  The front corner edges are also tacked.

Red Cross Apron 1991-4-7TB 37R11Sa2

This might be a “Red Cross Apron” listed in an 1991 Acquisition form or it might be a cloth worn as a hat or a small table cloth.  This piece is a rectangle with the bottom hemmed by hand. This piece shows no sign of ribbon cut off so if it was used as a half apron it would have had to have been pinned on.

Material white cotton  1997-4-7 (2)

Width 27 inches
Length 18 ½ inches
Construction  1 3/8 hem at bottom  hand stitched, 3/8” doubles hem on right side and top edge machine stitched, left side selvage,
Identifiers 1 ¼” Red Cross emblem patch whipped stitched center of bottom hem.

WWII Red Cross Uniform  85-455-27TB 37R11Sa2

This WWII Red Cross four pocket uniform jacket belonged to Caroline Stump Butler. For more information on Caroline Stump Butler please see AB 499 in the museum.

 

Material  Grey wool twill     Caroline Stump Butler American Red Cross June 9, 1945 Schutz Pub way back when Vol1p 84-85

Sleeve patch signifies Military Welfare Service
Sleeves 23 1/2 inches
Front closure with buttons 26 3/4 inches long
Shoulder Epaulets with 1 5/8 inch ARC buttons
Shaping Shoulder darts, pair of lower darts, fitted with princes line in back, single vent
Pockets 2 upper pockets with pointed buttoned tabs
Buttons Red Cross black buttons
Lapel Deeply notched short, Horizon blue vertical stripes on upper lapel collar with black braid  (military relief ), American Red Cross Pins on each side
Identifications Lower Pocket  Tag says Date 1944 flannel Gray stock 99-U-80018 Size 18 R Smith Gray Corp. est. 1845, New York
Laundry Mark 29 C. Stump

“Grey Ladies” Cap and Pins 2009-040-06 TB 37R11Sa2

This “Grey Ladies” was worn by Dinah Roberts (Parramore). When Moody Air Force Base reopened in 1951, the local chapter of the American Red Cross “Grey Ladies” as they were nicknamed, made regular visits to the hospital located on the base. Dinah Roberts was among those who volunteered for this service.

This cap has a large front white band with a T design that wraps and closes at the back with buttons. A red cross is hand sewn to the center front white band.

Material cotton, high countGrey cap

Construction Band: white turned  up band 11”w where it attaches at the bottom, arched to, 3 ¾”;
crown of hat gray area composed of three sections (2 4” x 4”squares joined to form 4” x 8” rectangle attached to a shaped section 18” wide at its widest point, 11” wide where it attached to white, 2 ¾” l)
Small  white buttons fastens back
Identifiers red cross on front tacked by hand to center front white band

Red Cross Jewelry 2009-006-03a-f TB 37R11Sa2 

This was part of the Wiggins jewelry collection

Top row:American Junior Red Cross Pin, American Red Cross Summer Pin, Bottom row: I server Red Cross Pin (x2), Red Cross pin Left side: Using the Double Cross as a symbol of tuberculosis was first started with the Red Cross in 1907’s Christmas seal, now the separate entity American Lung Association.

 

 

Grey Wool Red Cross Cap, Pins, and Shoulder Insignia

Louie Peeples White has an extensive textile collection in the museum which includes Art and Louie Whiteher Red Cross items as well as civilian clothing and accessories. She met her husband Arthur White during her service with the Red Cross while stationed  in London at the famous Rainbow Corner Club, a Red Cross Club that was open 24 hours giving assistance to service men during WWII. You may visit Arthur White’s military textiles by clicking here. https://valdostamuseum.com/collections/textiles/military/wwii-textiles/wwii-u-z-and-s…ii-collections/ Also housed in the museum’s archive collection  is her scrapbook of her stay in London with the Red Cross (SB PEO-8 WHITE). This may be viewed by appointment only at the museum.

Grey Wool Red Cross Hat 2010-25-066 TB37R11Sa2

Material Wool Grey
Brim 
Identifiers Red Cross Pin on front

Green Vest 2015-16 TB 9aR9Sa1, 9bR9Sa2 

Joseph Polk Davis (1922-2000) was born in 1922 to parents  Samuel and Ruth Polk Davis and grew up in Perry, Florida. During WWII he served in the 8th Armored Division in the European Theater.  Among his collection donated to the museum was his 1944 knitted vest.

 

Items such as the green vest included in this collection, as well as wool socks, wool hats, etc were  “comfort items” that the Red Cross distributed and tell the story of a community effort to bring aid to the boys fighting during WWII. The Red Cross published several patterns in magazines and newspapers. Often these were further copied by hand or type written and distributed by ordinary citizens.  Stores sold wool in the prescribed olive drab or navy blue colors in the correct weight to make the official Red Cross issued patterns. Citizens eager to comfort the boys fighting and aid the war effort, hand knitted the items and turned them into the Red Cross for distribution. These were welcomed by soldiers serving in cold climates, reminding them of warm memories of home. The sweater is now on display in the main floor of the museum.

For more information on the Davis Collection within this museum’s WWII Textiles please click on this link. https://valdostamuseum.com/collections/textiles/military/wwii-textiles/wwii-c-d/

 

Material: Wool
Construction: Knitted
Identifiers: Red Cross tag