WWI ARCS devoted service certificate awarded to Mrs Hartigan

c. 1919
Overview

Australian Red Cross Society certificate awarded to Mrs Hartigan in recognition of four years of devoted service rendered during the Great War 1914-1919.
The Certificate is made from thick paper with a greyscale illustration of a standing soldier with two seated Red Cross nurses either side. There is a central circle with red border containing the Red Cross symbol.
The soldier is dressed in uniform and slouch hat and is holding his rifle with attached bayonet. Both nurses are wearing their long sleeved dresses, with white aprons and veils. The same red cross symbol in red appears on the apron fronts
The nurse on the left is knitting, while the one on the right is sewing.
The initials of the artist who designed the illustration, Lionel Lindsay, are printed in the shadows of the left nurse's chair.
The details of the award are printed in black cursive writing, with the name of the recipient written in black ink. A facsimile signature of Helen Munro Ferguson appears in black at the bottom of the certificate.
The certificate is mounted within a grey brown matte. The reverse is plain except for a crossed out price.

Historical information

The identity of Mrs Hartigan is unknown, as is what services she provided to the Red Cross during the Great War to receive the certificate.

On 13 August 1914, nine days after the outbreak of World War One, Lady Helen Munro Ferguson, the wife of the Governor-General, formed the first Australian Red Cross branch. It was still part of the British Red Cross Society (BRCS) as seen on the certificate.

Sir Lionel Arthur Lindsay (1874-1961) was the third-oldest member of the large Lindsay family of artists which included brothers Norman and Percy. In the early 1890s he left his childhood home of Creswick, Victoria and moved to Melbourne and eventually Sydney, where he became an illustrator and editorial cartoonist for publications including the Evening News and the Bulletin. He is known for his paintings and etchings.

Another ARCS certificate designed by Lionel Lindsay is also held in the collection.

Details

Details

Registration number
cwa-org-119-RoW00636
Material
Width
273 mm
Height or length
320 mm
Inscriptions and markings

"This Certificate
is awarded to
Mrs Hartigan
in recognition of four years devoted service under
The Australian Red Cross Society
(B.R.C.S.)
during the Great War 1914 1919."

"Helen Munro Ferguson"

Place made
Australia
Year
Primary significance criteria
Historic significance
Social or spiritual significance
Comparative significance criteria
Interpretive capacity
Last modified
Sunday, 10 August, 2025
Completeness
100
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Organisation details
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WWI ARCS devoted service certificate awarded to Mrs Hartigan
WWI ARCS devoted service certificate awarded to Mrs Hartigan
WWI ARCS devoted service certificate - upper section
WWI ARCS devoted service certificate - upper section
WWI ARCS devoted service certificate - lower section
WWI ARCS devoted service certificate - lower section
Reverse of WWI ARCS devoted service certificate
Reverse of WWI ARCS devoted service certificate

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