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The Children's Salon

Gladys Evelyn Warren was a great contributor to other benevolent endeavours towards the same cause of helping sick and poor children.
She was an early subscriber (number 67) and frequent entrant to competitions run in The Children's Salon section of The Gentlewoman magazine.

Information about The Children's Salon, as published in the magazine on Saturday 17 March 1906.

Under the Patronage of:

The Duchess of Norfolk, The Duchess of Beaufort, The Duchess of Sutherland, The Duchess of Somerset, The Marchioness of Hamilton, The Marchioness of Lansdowne, The Marchioness of Londonderry, The Marchioness of Zetland, The Countess of Dudley, The Countess of Aberdeen, The Countess of Cadogan, The Countess of Ilchester, The Countess of Bessborough, The Lady Arthur Hill.

What has been accomplished.

The Children's Salon has endowed for all time six cots in the Children's Hospitals - the Victoria Hospital for Children, the North-West London Hospital, the North Eastern Hospital for Children, the Cheyne Hospital for Children, the Hospital for Sick Children, Great Ormond Street, and the East London Hospital for Children, Shadwell. In addition, The Children's Salon has endowed an Emergency Fund for the London Schools' Dinner Association, and has helped among other useful works, Queen Victoria's Nurses Fund, the Irish Distress Fund, National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.

Rules for the Children's Salon.

  1. Girls may join by sending in twelve penny stamps, which is the subscription for one year, payable on 1st January; or a postal order for 5s. , which constitutes Life Membership. On receipt of either of these sums an illuminated and numbered certificate, ready for framing, will be sent free. This entitles the holders to join in the COMPETITIONS FOR PRIZES set in the Salon Page of the The Gentlewoman every week.
  2. Associates are those under fifteen, and are required to put A.C.S. and number after their name on every communication or competition sent to The Children's Salon.
  3. Members are those from fifteen to twenty, and they must add M.C.S. to their name. Graduates are those aged over twenty and must add G.C.S.
  4. Competitions are set each week in Literature, Art, Music and Work, for which prizes are awarded.
  5. The full name, age, and number must be either written on the back, or firmly attached to, every letter, drawing or other work sent in.
  6. Literature competitions to be written clearly and neatly on one side of the paper only, and not to exceed 700 words.
  7. Black and White Drawings must be original work, and should be done on white cardboard or paper with jet black ink. Nothing must be copied from any picture, design, photograph, or drawing.
  8. Prizes are sent direct, and to such as merit the distinction a colour card of Honourable Mention is sent free. The Prize-winners must apply in writing within 14 days for the Prizes announced as having been won by them and name the date of the paper.
  9. Competitors should see that their contributions are carefully done up and sufficiently stamped.
  10. Nothing sent in can be returned, everything saleable being sold for the benevolent objects of the Salon.
  11. Annually there are competitions for those who have belonged to the Salon for over SIX MONTHS, in Singing, Pianoforte playing, Violin Playing, Recitation, Drawing, Literature, Needlework, and Dancing, but for these there are special forms to be filled up, and Special Prizes are given.
  12. No one who has received payment for their work, and thereby become professional, is eligible to join the The Children's Salon.

The Children's Salon was run by Levana. Each week she would write 'Levana's Chat' which updated the readership on the state of current endeavours and competitions, and 'Levana's Letter Box' where she would provide feedback on all of the competitions entries submitted the previous week.

Letter Box replies to Whitwar editress, Miss Gladys Evelyn Warren.

17 March 1906: Gladys Evelyn Warren - An extremely creditable production for your age.

21 July 1906: Honourable Mention for Literature, Gladys Evelyn Warren, A.C.S. 67.

16 March 1907: Gladys Evelyn Warren - There is a pretty sense of humour in your story, which is, on the whole, excellent. The doctor, however, seemed to have rather a lot of spare time. Medical men who are both "clever and good" have generally more to do. Thanks so much for all your help. You are most enthusiastic. Under the circumstances your friends may compete if they join now.

14 September 1907: Gladys Evelyn Warren - You have managed a somewhat difficult story very well, only your meaning is at times obscure. Unless one had read the poem one would have some difficulty comprehending the drift of your narrative.

25 April 1908: Honourable Mention for Art. Gladys Evelyn Warren, M.C.S 2340.

4 July 1908: Gladys Evelyn Warren - The beginning of your story is beyond all praise, the word painting quite excellent; but some of the sentences read a little oddly, for instance, on page 2, the one about the dark girl, this might have been expressed better; but your story shows much promise. You will write very well indeed some day.

3 October 1908: Neatly written letters have been received from :- ... Gladys Evelyn Warren,..

7 November 1908: Honourable Mention for Literature. Gladys Evelyn Warren, M.C.S 2340. Your story reads very attractively. The beginning is a little abrupt, perhaps; but, on the whole, it is charming.

5 December 1908: Honourable Mention for Literature. Gladys Evelyn Warren, M.C.S 2340.

16 January 1909: Honourable Mention for Literature. Gladys Evelyn Warren, M.C.S 2340.

23 January 1909: Work - of the needle cases much that is laudatory can truly be said, and Members and Associates alike are to be congratulated on their charming work... Gladys Evelyn Warren's delicately pretty case..

13 February 1909: Honourable Mention for Literature. Gladys Evelyn Warren, M.C.S 2340.

6 March 1909: Gladys Evelyn Warren - The sequel was rather 'ghastly'. I should not like to have been captured by these particular brigands. You have composed a very pretty story, and "Little White Woolly Lamb" is a captivating little creature.

27 March 1909: Art - Gladys Evelyn Warren - Your ideas on friendship are excellent, but your composition is just a little clumsy at times. Thank you very much for your letter, I will give your suggestions consideration.

3 April 1909: Work. The Do-as-you-like competition was an immense success. The office was blocked with boxes and packages of various shapes and sizes, and the work of adjudication was long and arduous. The Members' prize is divided between Isabel Parker for a beautiful tea-cloth, bordered with a exquisitely worked lace Teneriffe medallions, and Gladys Evelyn Warren for a delightfully finished "Pop-in-what-you-like' basket, the pale pink ground of which is powdered with tiny rosebuds, and the corners finished off with rich pink silk cord.

10 April 1909: Honourable Mention for Literature. Gladys Evelyn Warren, M.C.S 2340.

17 April 1909: Honourable Mention for Work. Gladys Evelyn Warren, M.C.S 2340. The pincushion competition proved particularly popular, and many pretty specimens reached me... others who highly deserve special mention by reason of the beauty and neatness of their work are.. Gladys Evelyn Warren, for a most quaint and fantastic "orange" pincushion representing an orange in the centre of ten petals worked in gold silk.

24 April 1909: Honourable Mention for Art. Gladys Evelyn Warren, M.C.S 2340.

1 May 1909: A Handkerchief Sachet. Honourable Mention for Work. Gladys Evelyn Warren, M.C.S 2340. Gladys Evelyn Warren deserves high commendation for the neat work she has put into her white and pink sachet with its drawn-thread work, and bow of pink ribbon.

29 May 1909: Gladys Evelyn Warren - Parts of the drawing of your figure of Nelson are exceedingly good - the raised leg and foot, for example - and the whole has a seriousness and knowledge which is distinctly promising. The idea is not a very happy one, although not bad. The perspective of the box shows a lack of appreciation of the exact, which you must overcome.

5 June 1909: The story of a picnic. Honourable Mention for Literature. Gladys Evelyn Warren, M.C.S 2340.

3 July 1909: The story of a doll. Members' Prize (10 shillings) - Divided between Gladys Evelyn Warren, M.C.S 2340; and Mina Gardener, M.C.S. Gladys Evelyn Warren - Many thanks for your letter. You are most kind and energetic. I appreciate it much. Your story is very good and your conversations are more natural than they have been in the stories you have recently sent in.

17 July 1909: An essay on my favourite hero in fiction. Honourable Mention for Literature. Gladys Evelyn Warren, M.C.S 2340.

24 July 1909: Gladys Evelyn Warren - The description of your country walk is most interestingly told, and full of variety.

14 August 1909: Gladys Evelyn Warren - The metre of some of your lines is faulty. Even when they contain the right number of syllables the accent is on the wrong one. This is specially the case in the two first lines of verse 2, and of verse 4. The idea of the last three lines is pretty, but not well expressed. Your suggestions are very useful. I have sent you the enrolment forms. How nice that you have already made a beginning towards getting your five members!

21 August 1909: A fairy story. Members' Prize (10 shillings) divided between The Lady Rosamond Feijambe, M.C.S. 2749, Eileen Durlacher, M.C.S. 2120, Gladys Evelyn Warren, M.C.S. 2340, and Bertha Hetherington, M.C.S. 2759.

30 October 1909: Gladys Evelyn Warren - In many respects your verses are admirable, but occasionally you introduce lines which are not in harmony with the rest - they are of a different metre. For instance, "Nor pierce the depths of the rose" in the first verse is a quite different metre from the other lines. However, there is much charm and music in your composition.

13 November 1909: A description of my favourite picture. Honourable Mention for Literature. Gladys Evelyn Warren, M.C.S 2340.

20 November 1909: Something knitted or crocheted. Honourable Mention for Work. Gladys Evelyn Warren, M.C.S 2340.

11 December 1909: Duologue between two animals. Honourable Mention for Literature. Gladys Evelyn Warren, M.C.S 2340 - The duologue between your mule and donkey is amusing, and well constructed.

8 January 1910: Poems on 'Snow'. Gladys Evelyn Warren and Bertha Hetherington divide the Members' Prize, as their poems show greater originality than the others.

26 February 1910: See answers to Ismay Trimble and Ina Singers-Biggar. You will see I am giving the Competition you ask for. It is not a bit too late to be a Saloniere and I shall be so pleased to have you.

12 March 1910: Gladys Evelyn Warren - Your fairy tale is delightfully fanciful, and appeals to me more than anything you have written as yet. I am afraid you must have overlooked the notice in the last few weeks, saying contributions must reach by the first post on Saturday. You have handled the uncommon Japanese phraseology very skilfully, and the whole idea is poetically and charmingly told.

2 April 1910: Gladys Evelyn Warren - Thank you for your letter. Your old Dutchman is a capital bit of panelling, vivacious, expressive, and full of excellent quality. The vividness of your style has a little carried away your judgement in places, as some of the deep touches are over hard, but on the whole this remarkably good work. Yes, you could send in your "late" Fairy Tale for another competition.

16 April 1910: Something to rhyme with 'Cat'. Honourable Mention for Art. Gladys Evelyn Warren, M.C.S 2340 - Your drawing shows a good deal of appreciation of form, and has some quite clever bits of fore-shortening in the face, but the hat itself does not tell a very well. There is a pleasant freedom in your work, but a tendency to uniformity of tone.

7 May 1910: Do-as-you-like, Embroidery. Honourable Mention for Work. Gladys Evelyn Warren, M.C.S 2340 (40 marks).

14 May 1910: Short poem on any legend. Members' Prize (10 shillings) divided between Helen Yellit, M.C.S. 2482, and Gladys Evelyn Warren, M.C.S 2340.

23 July 1910: Gladys Evelyn Warren - Your poem has very charming ideas, but the rhythm is faulty, and the rendering is often prose, not poetry. I am so glad you are pleased with the medal and medal competitions.

20 August 1910: A story founded on history. Honourable Mention for Literature. Gladys Evelyn Warren, M.C.S 2340.

29 October 1910: Which virtue appeals to you most, and why? Honourable Mention for Literature. Gladys Evelyn Warren, M.C.S 2340. You have unfortunately far exceeded the word limit or your essay would have gained a prize. The limit was 250 words. You have written it carefully and well, and have taken great pains to express clearly and simply what you have to say.

18 March 1911: Literature - The Fairy Tale competition was as popular as usual. Gladys Evelyn Warren and Agnes Carroll divide the Members' prize.

28 October 1911: LITERATURE TOURNAMENT, organised by Gladys Evelyn Warren - Story entitled 'Violet and the Vote' (limit, 750 words). Send 1s entrance fee to organiser: Miss Gladys Evelyn Warren, 65, Springfield Road, St. John's Wood, London, N.W. with competition work and sender's name and address, not later than November 15th. Two-thirds of total proceeds will be devoted to Children's Salon Cot Fund, and one-third to prizes for Organiser and 1st and 2nd prize winners.

16 December 1911: Gladys Evelyn Warren - Thank you for your letter and particulars of your Tournament. Another time will you send me the whole amount realised, as the rule is that the prizes for these tournaments are sent out from this office? Thank you so much for all the troubles you have taken.

16 December 1911: Gladys Evelyn Warren -You have sent in a pretty little pincushion, but the stuffing should have been firmer.