White Poppies

[Muddypause]

I thought, as we approach Armistice Day, it must be appropriate to mention the white poppy, a symbol of peace and memorium of the dead of all wars.

Everyone knows about the red poppy (actually, I don't know if it is an international symbol - do they have it in other countries?), and its function as a way of commemorating the dead, which has been established since the end of the first world war. But in the 1930s, the Women's Co-Operative Guild felt that more needed to be said, and introduced the white poppy. It was these women who had seen their husbands, brothers, fathers and sons die in WW1, and felt that a more appropriate symbol was needed, calling for an end to war, and being a memorial for all the dead from all wars.

It has never been a symbol of opposition to the red poppy, and often white poppy wearers will wear it alongside a red one. And yet wearers of the white poppy have been vilified ever since it was first introduced, being accused of being disrespectful, unpatriotic, and even communist traitors. In the 1930s, the women who wore the white poppy were shunned socially, and sacked from their jobs. Even today, it is common for any wreath of white poppies that gets placed on a town memorial, to be removed. Usually, no white poppies are allowed to be laid on the memorial during the official poppy laying.

But some sense is at last being seen, and recently the British Legion (who sell the red poppy), agreed to drop their official opposition to it (but I still bet that white poppy wreaths will continue to be removed from memorials).

Buying a white poppy is not as easy a buying a red one; I got mine from a friend who gets a pack to give away or sell every year. These days, the distribution of them is by the Peace Pledge Union, and you can order them direct from them.

If you're interested, this is their page which tells more about the white poppy.

[the.fee.fairy]

I've ordered some.

I've been wanting a white poppy for a few years, but there's nowhere round here that sells them.

[Wormella]

Thanks for the link - we've both been looking for White poppies for years

[Andy Hamilton]

I seem to remember the queen mother always wore a white one.

[PurpleDragon]

I saw something the other day about a lilac (?) poppy to commemorate the animals that give their lives in wars, without being asked or volunteering. Unfortunately, I've had a headache for the last 24 hours or so, so remembering things is hard, so I can't really recall where I read it. Sorry.

[Muddypause]

I seem to remember the queen mother always wore a white one.

Hmm... I seriously doubt that, Andy. Sorry, but I think there would have been the biggest outcry from the establishment that you've ever heard if that had happened. The white poppy has, over the years, consistently (and wrongly) been dismissed as a mark of disrespect to those who fought in the war (any soldiers are the Queen's soldiers, don't forget). This included from Royal British Legion, and Margaret Thatcher, who, at the height of her warmongering, condemned out of hand those who wore the white poppy.

Queenie may have worn a white flower at some time, but it was never the commemorative white poppy.

[Andy Hamilton]

after a load of frantic googling to try and prove you wrong I do have to back down to superior knolwedge. Was a childhood memory that obviously got distorted somewhere on the way, I bet it was cilla black or something.