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Family of charity's founder marks 150th birthday

Paul Shuttleworthin Ellesmere
News imageBBC Richard Jebb pictured standing in front of the Lyth, a large white house. He is wearing a dark red fleece, with a brown gilet over the top, and is smiling slightly. The sky is blue and there is lots of strong sunshine. BBC
Richard Jebb is the great-great-nephew of Save the Children's co-founder Eglantyne Jebb

"It is a bit of an honour, really, to know that you've got somebody of that calibre in your family tree," said Richard Jebb.

He is the great-great-nephew of Eglantyne Jebb, born in Ellesmere, Shropshire, who set up the Save the Children charity with her sister Dorothy in 1919.

Special celebrations are taking place to mark Eglantyne's 150th birthday, including remembrance services and the unveiling of a new artwork.

Flowers will be laid at the town's Mere on Tuesday.

Eglantyne set up Save the Children alongside her sister after being outraged by photos of children left starving in the wake of World War One.

Later, she established the charity's international headquarters in Geneva and was involved with the newly-formed League of Nations.

Her most important achievement was drafting a charter that went on to become the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

"You do spend some time looking over your shoulder hoping that you're living up to her high standards," Richard said.

News imageJebb Family A collection of black-and-white photographs of Eglantyne Jebb. The main photo shows her sitting at a desk and writing. Other photographs show her as a young woman wearing long formal dresses. The photos are laid out on a brown wooden desk. Jebb Family
Eglantyne Jebb was born in 1876 in Ellesmere and later moved to Geneva

Save the Children played a big part in Richard's upbringing, he said, recalling "helping rattle tins at people" as a child.

"When I was at university, there was a volunteer branch [of Save the Children] which I joined, because I felt I had to," he added.

"I occasionally wonder what would she do, what would she think?"

News imageSally Poynton The artwork created by Sally Poynton - the background is a photograph of a pink rose, with a pencil sketch of Eglantyne in profile superimposed on top of it. Sally Poynton
Poynton's illustration of Eglantyne uses a photograph of a rose named in her honour

On Tuesday, flowers will be laid at the Jebb memorial garden by the Mere - close to the Lyth country house where Eglantyne spent her childhood.

The garden was opened in 2019 and Save the Children's patron Princess Anne unveiled a plaque there in 2024.

Later this year, a civic service and exhibition will be held at St Mary's church in Ellesmere on 18 October.

Local artist Sally Poynton has created a new artwork of Eglantyne to coincide with the celebrations which will be on display at the town library and market hall.

Poynton previously published an illustrated booklet to help educate local people on Eglantyne's extraordinary achievements.

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