Charlotte Crivelli

Charlotte Crivelli (born Marie Louise Charlotte Duret, 24 June 1863 – 30 March 1956) was a French Australian philanthropist who was known commonly as Madame Crivelli. She founded the French Red Cross Society of Victoria, which raised funds for the hospitals and other charities in Europe during World War I. She also established the After-War Relief Society for France after the signing of the Armistice, to raise money for rebuilding areas of France ravaged by war.

Early life Crivelli was born in Arrou (near Chartres) to Marie Joséphine Amiclia Amic (1837–1922) and Charles Duret (1829–1896). When Crivelli was 5 in 1896 the family moved to Melbourne. When Crivelli was in her late teens and early twenties, she studied arts and crafts with Berthe Mouchette, who was the founder of the Melbourne Alliance Française.

In 1887 Crivelli married Marcel Urbain Crivelli, and over the next two decades they had seven children. People donated money and materials such as rolls of material, reams of paper, books, razors, and scissors. In the first year, Crivelli raised enough money to fund a ward of 40 beds in a hospital outside of Paris. By the end of the war the society has raised £207,233. After the signing of the Armistice, Crivelli established the After-War Relief Society for France.

In the last week of August 1921, Crivelli organised a French Week fundraising festival to coincide with the anniversary of the Battle of Amiens, which had taken place in Villers-Bretonneux. The festival raised £24,275 to assist Villers-Bretonneux to rebuild.

Later years and death In her retirement she spent her time focussing on her interest in gardening and books.

In 1937 Crivelli was awarded a bronze Médaille d'honneur de la famille française, by the Minister of Health of France. The award is to honour worthy and large families It is given by the French Government to encourage mothers to bring up their children to be good citizens, and given only to those who have carried out this task dutifully.