The Royal British Legion Poppy Factory
Most people know that the poppy is the National emblem of remembrance for those men and women who gave their lives defending the principles of freedom and democracy for which our Country stands, but where do all the poppies and wreaths come from. and how did it all begin.
The British Legion was formed in 1921 in the aftermath of the 1st World War, and in 1922 taking over an old shirt collar factory in the Old Kent Road, five disabled men were its first employees, and every year since then, the poppies and wreaths have been made in the British Isles.
In 1925, a Limited Company was set up and the factory became known as “The British Legion Poppy Factory Ltd”. The name remained the same until the factory’s Golden Jubilee Year of 1972 when the prefix “Royal” was added to the title.
By 1925 the number of men employed had grown to 150 and it became necessary to find large premises. Eventually an old brewery in Richmond was purchased and converted into the Factory. In just over ten years, the factory had g
