I must admit I had an immature titter at this.

Interesting story

Mail founder's wife asked women to donate pearls to raise for troops | Daily Mail Online

Pearls for heroes: In 1918 the Mail founder's wife appealed for women to donate pearls from their necklaces to raise money for wounded troops. And as a new book reveals, the response of a grieving nation was overwhelming
Lady Northcliffe would ask each woman to give a pearl from their necklaces
These formed a new string which would be sold to support the British Red Cross
It proved to be one of the most successful fundraising campaigns of World War I