Cafe or restaurant first opened by the Australian Natives' Association in 1915, offering meals to Australian and New Zealand soldiers, with reading and writing rooms adjoining the Commonwealth Offices for Australian and New Zealand soldiers during World War I. In 1918 the premises was at 94 Victoria Street London. One of its co-founders was Australian Mrs Minnie Rattigan, and British actress Ada Reeve was responsible for raising funds in New Zealand for the Buffet, which appears, from newspaper reports, to have been more heavily used by Australian soldiers than New Zealanders in the second half of the war.
Anzac Buffet (London, England)
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Victoria Palace London :Grand matinee in aid of the funds of the ANZAC Club and Buffet ...
Date: 1917
From: [Ephemera relating to patriotism, fundraising for the war effort, during World War I. 1914-1918. Folder 1]
Reference: Eph-A-WAR-WI-Patriotic-1917-01
Description: Programme booklet for a performance in aid of the ANZAC Club and Buffet in London. The front cover shows New Zealand and Australian soldiers raising their respective flags on a headland overlooking the sea, with a Union Jack in the top centre. The programme included the following performers: Victoria Palace Orchestra under Mr J Weaver), Joyce Brown (violin), Mabel Manson (song), Edward Lauri (song), Margaret Cooper (piano), Irene Vanbrugh (recitation), Little Florence Bayfield (dance), Violet Loraine; Lilian Braithwaite and Ben Webster in a duologue, Alfred Lester; Lorna and Toots Pounds; Albert Whelan (Australian entertainer), Sergeant Harold Nott (Australian marching song). Then followed "The Pageant of the Southern Cross", by Henrietta Leslie - with the New Zealand contingent including Rosina Buckman, May Beatty, Mabel Manson, Princess Iwa, Rosemary Rees, Amy Gerrard, Hilda Forrest, Alice Surland, Mrs Forrest, Miss Thurland, Lydia Sydney, Thorva Merrylees, Vera Samuel, Inez Bensusan, Mertin Lewis. The programme included an advertisement for "Kiwi" boot polish on page 10. Quantity: 1 volume(s) booklet. Physical Description: Booklet of 20 pages each 248 x 188 mm.
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Anzac Buffet :Anzac Buffet, 1918. (94 Victoria Street, S.W. 1). With best wishes [Chris...
Date: 1918
From: [Ephemera relating to World War I. 1918. Folder 3]
Reference: Eph-A-WAR-WI-1918-25
Description: Christmas card issued by the Anzac Buffet in London shows an art nouveau-style illustration of two Anzac servicemen being served by a waitress. The text above and below is in gilt lettering, as is the message inside: "With sincere good wishes for a very Happy Christmas and all Prosperity in the New Year". Quantity: 1 colour photo-mechanical print(s). Physical Description: Offset print and gilt on card, folded to 147 x 117 mm. Provenance: Donated by Mr Richard J Goulden, England, in 2014.