Jennie Jackson ("Young Kitchener") - a young girl from Lancashire who raised money for the fighting men during WW1

While I was researching a WW1 poet yesterday, I came across a reference to some poems about a young girl from Burnley, Lancashire, UK.  Jane, known as ‘Jennie’, Jackson, was also known as "Young Kitchener" for the work she did during the First World War collecting money to fund parcels for the fighting men.

Jennie Jackson was born on 27th December 1907.  Her parents were John and Kate Jackson and she had three brothers, all of whom served during WW1. William, the eldest, enlisted in the 3rd (Prince of Wales) Dragoon Guards on 31st October 1914.  Shortly afterwards, on 21st November 1914, Richard, the third son, volunteered to serve with the Shropshire Light Infantry.  John Samuel, the second son, joined the Royal Field Artillery on 29th October 1915.

If ever we needed proof that the First World War involved every man, woman and child in Britain, here it is.

The poems were written by Thomas Napoleon Smith, pen-name Tonosa. They were:  "Burnley's war flame (Jennie JACKSON), alias Y.K." and "Burnley's winning Jennie (Jennie Jackson)".

Thomas's son, Corporal Ewart G. Smith of the 2nd Infantry Brigade, Canadian Expeditionary Force, was killed in a trench on 27th September 1916.

My thanks to Andrew Mackay for sending me his photographs and information about Jennie. http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/ww1/blog/young-kitchener/ 

Find out more on Andrew's website: http://www.burnleyinthegreatwar.info/

The Photographs have been kindly supplied by Andrew Mackay from his private collection. 

Thank you Andrew.

An exhibition about poetry written by schoolchildren during the First World War is on display at The Wilfred Owen Story, Argyle Street, Birkenhead, Wirral, UK.

http://www.wilfredowenstory.com/