Charity work
The late 1930s saw her popularity peak and she was given many honours: the
Officer of the Venerable Order of St. John (for charity work), the
Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) (for services to entertainment) in 1938 and the
Freedom of the Borough of Rochdale in 1937.
She donated her house, The Towers, 53
The Bishops Avenue, London, N2 0BJ (which she had not much cared for and which she had shared with her husband Archie Pitt and his mistress) to a maternity hospital after the marriage broke down. In 1939, she became seriously ill with
cervical cancer. The public sent over 250,000 goodwill messages and she retired to her villa on
Capri. After she recovered, she recorded a very special 78rpm record simply called
Gracie's Thanks, in which she thanks the public for the many cards and letters she received while in hospital.
During World War II, she paid for all servicemen/women to travel free on public transport within the boundaries of Rochdale.
Fields also helped
Rochdale F.C. in the 1930s when they were struggling to pay fees and buy sports equipment.
In 1933 she set up the Gracie Fields Children's Home and Orphanage at
Peacehaven,
Sussex for children of those in the theatre profession who could not look after their children. She kept this until 1967, when the home was no longer needed. This was near her own home in Peacehaven, and Fields often visited, with the children all calling her 'Aunty Grace'.
