Not currently on display at the V&A

Memorial Card

1940 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This memorial card was made for a young boy called Donald Millbank in 1940. Donald tragically died at a young age; he was killed during the Second World War in 1940 when a bomb made a direct hit on his house. Donald was remembered by his family as a bright, kind, funny boy who was artistically talented.

This card is one of three memorial cards made for Donald by his family, and is part of a collection of objects that belonged to Donald which includes several of his colourful drawings, the nightgown he wore as a baby and some of his school exercise books from the late 1930s. Donald's accomplished drawing skills are evident from his artwork and the illustrations and drawings in his school books. These objects provide a snapshot of a young boy's life and work from a turbulent time in British history and they are a rare survival.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Card hand made using ink, paper and card
Brief description
Hand made memorial card for Donald Millbank made in England in 1940
Physical description
Hand made memorial card of portrait orientation with message and design on the front. Pencil drawing of a boat decorated with a white paper sail and silver paper hull. Black ink border and hand written message in black ink in memory of "DARLING Don" / "OUR SUNSHINE".
Dimensions
  • Length: 17.7cm
  • Width: 12.6cm
Style
Production typeUnique
Marks and inscriptions
"DARLING Don." / "OUR SUNSHINE." / KILLED BY / ENEMY ACTION / NOV. 18TH 1940 / God bless / you, Don, till / we meet again. / From his "dear Mummy," / Daddy, Alan & Weenie. / xxxx (Hand written in black ink on front of card)
Credit line
Given by Christine Adams
Object history
The following was written by Christine Adams, Donald's niece and donor of his childhood objects:

Donald Gerald Balfour Millbank

Donald was born in Surrey in 1927. His father, Fred, was an officer for the Port of London Authority and his mother, Lou, stayed at home to look after her family. He had an older brother and sister, Alan and Mildred (Millie - known as 'Weenie' by the family as she was a particularly tiny baby.) Another younger brother died at a few months old.

On 18 November 1940, when Donald was 13, he was killed by a bomb dropped directly on the house. His sister Weenie, a few years older, was buried under the house with him for several hours, holding his hand. She felt him grow weaker as he gradually passed away. His mother never recovered from losing two children and was in mourning for the rest of her life, only wearing black.

Donald grew up in the years before the Second World War, in what was then the village of Mitcham, in a family house with a rabbit, cat and dog. His family remember a bright, kind, funny boy, artistically talented as can be seen by a selection of [his] drawings.

His brother Alan became a teacher and Weenie a nurse - both were excellent painters. As for so many children on both sides of the War, Donald was denied his life but his potential was clear.
Subjects depicted
Summary
This memorial card was made for a young boy called Donald Millbank in 1940. Donald tragically died at a young age; he was killed during the Second World War in 1940 when a bomb made a direct hit on his house. Donald was remembered by his family as a bright, kind, funny boy who was artistically talented.

This card is one of three memorial cards made for Donald by his family, and is part of a collection of objects that belonged to Donald which includes several of his colourful drawings, the nightgown he wore as a baby and some of his school exercise books from the late 1930s. Donald's accomplished drawing skills are evident from his artwork and the illustrations and drawings in his school books. These objects provide a snapshot of a young boy's life and work from a turbulent time in British history and they are a rare survival.
Collection
Accession number
B.573-2016

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Record createdMarch 28, 2017
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