File:Poppy Seeds from Gallipoli & France - 1923 (16984924248).jpg

The international symbol of remembrance, immortalised in verse by John McCrae’s ‘In Flanders Fields’, the red poppy sprung from earth at Gallipoli and France against the grim landscape that surrounded it. Poppy Day was first initiated by Madame E. Guérin and Moina Michael, known at the time as ‘The Poppy Ladies’. New Zealand’s first Poppy Day was held 24 April 1922.

The Returned Soldiers’ Association (RSA) placed an order for 350,000 small and 16,000 large silk poppies, all made by Madame Guérin’s French Children’s’ League. The RSA had planned to hold the first poppy day around the time of Armistice Day 1921, but the ship carrying the poppies from France arrived in New Zealand too late for the scheme to be properly publicised.

The first poppies went on sale the day before Anzac Day, and the day was a huge success. A total of 260,216 poppies were sold, raising £13,166, of which £3695 went to the French Children’s League to help ease suffering in the war-torn areas of northern France. The remainder was used to assist unemployed returned servicemen and their families. This tradition has continued. Since 1927, Poppy Day has been marked on the Friday before Anzac Day (unless it falls on Good Friday) with the appeal running through to 25 April. Poppies still symbolise remembrance and many New Zealanders use the poppy to show this at times other than Anzac Day, such as major commemorative events, military funerals and at war graves and cemeteries at home and abroad.

It was not until 1931 that New Zealand began producing its own poppies for poppy day, with disabled former servicemen in Auckland and Christchurch making them. Production of poppies was affected by rationing during the Second World War.

This set of images is of poppy seeds from Gallipoli and France, dated 1923. The file that these seeds come from details the request and rejection for permission to import seeds for sale. The file came to Archives New Zealand as part of Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, which was responsible for carrying out the Government's policies and programmes relating to the farming, horticultural and fishing industries, and to provide advice on how to maximise the national benefit from those industries.

Archives Reference: AAFZ 7174 W1954 15/ 60839/1 1920 – 1961

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