Posted 12 years ago
walksoftly
(167 items)
This PC was in an album of 40 that recently purchased, I knew it was a WWI tank, but unsure of why it was called a Tank Bank. So.......
In November 1917 two tanks took part in London's Lord Mayor's Show. The recent successful participation of the tank in the Battle of Cambrai had fired the public imagination, their appearance in the show proved very popular with the spectators who were fascinated by this new "wonder weapon". The National War Savings Committee decided to capitalize upon this fascination and use the tank to sell War Bonds and War Saving Certificates. On November 26 1917, battle scarred Tank 141 "Egbert" was brought over from France and put on display in Trafalgar Square.
The campaign was soon extended to the whole of the country, the touring tanks would spend a week in a town or city with two young ladies selling war bonds from a table set up inside the tank. A competitive spirit was engendered between the visited locations, the town or city that invested the most per capita would win the tank "Egbert". The eventual winner of the competition was West Hartlepool, who raised £31 9s 1d per capita (between the period of October 1 1918 - January 18 1919) equivalent to approximately £1300 in 2009.
link to the complete story & Images;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tank_Banks
Thanks for the L's, mikie, Bellin, AR8, & scott.
Thanks for the L's, kerry, Petey, Mani, official & packrat.
Cool postcard -- great picture!
Totally and completely awesome!!!
Thanks for the nice comment & the love, trunkman & Amber.
Thanks for the love, scandi, gargoyle, vetraio, thenavigator, ttomtucker, & Dr_R.
Thanks for stopping by to give this some love, mrmajestic & Mani.
You're welcome Hems.
That's the great thing with this sight, the opportunity to learn.
I'm just a curious bugger & had to know why they called it the tank bank.
Thanks for the love & the comment.
What part of England are you from?
Thanks for the L's, potrero, bratjdd, Ted_Straub, RonM, miKKo & ttomtucker
Hi Hems, my 2x great grandfather was a boatsman at Teignmouth lifeboat station& later at Pegwell Bay, where my great grandfather was born.
My grandfather was born at Lynsted, near Teynham, Kent
Fabulous! Thanks so much for sharing this...
Thanks for the love & the comment gingerakesler.
It explains why so many cast iron tank banks exist in peoples collection, I saw one at a flea market a couple of weeks ago, told the vendor the story behind them, not sure he believed me though.
Thanks for the love pw-collector , b'buss, Bazel & ttom.