Award Banner
Award Banner

A gift of chocolate from Queen Victoria, intact after 121 years

A gift of chocolate from Queen Victoria, intact after 121 years
A handout photo. A 121-year-old tin of chocolate, from a batch commissioned by Queen Victoria for British troops fighting in South Africa, is seen in an undated photo at Oxburgh Hall, a manor house in Norfolk, Britain where it was found in the attic.
PHOTO: Reuters via National Trust

LONDON  - A 121-year-old chocolate bar, from a batch commissioned by Queen Victoria for British troops fighting in South Africa, has been found in its original tin in the attic of an English manor.

The chocolate belonged to an English aristocrat who fought in the Second Boer War, Sir Henry Edward Paston-Bedingfield, and was found in his helmet case at his family’s ancestral home, 500-year-old Oxburgh Hall in Norfolk, eastern England.

A handout photo. A 121-year-old chocolate bar, from a batch commissioned by Queen Victoria for British troops fighting in South Africa, is seen alongside a helmet that belonged to Sir Henry Edward Paston-Bedingfield, who fought in the Second Boer War, in this undated photo at Sir Henry's ancestral home, Oxburgh Hall in Norfolk, Britain. 
PHOTO: Reuters via National Trust

“Although ...you wouldn’t want it as your Easter treat, it is still complete and a remarkable find,” said Anna Forrest, Cultural Heritage Curator at the National Trust, a heritage charity that manages Oxburgh Hall.

The tin lid has a message in Victoria’s handwriting that says “I wish you a happy New Year” and the inscription “South Africa 1900”, as well as a portrait of the queen.

The National Trust said it believed Henry had kept the helmet and the chocolate together as mementoes of his participation in the war. The items were discovered among the belongings of his daughter Frances Greathead following her death aged 100 in 2020.

A handout photo. Katherine Bridges, Senior House and Collections Officer at the National Trust, holds a 121-year-old tin of chocolate from a batch commissioned by Queen Victoria for British troops fighting in South Africa, in an undated photo at Oxburgh Hall, a manor house in Norfolk, Britain where it was found in the attic. 
PHOTO: Reuters via National Trust

The Second Boer War, from 1899 and 1902, pitted British troops against the forces of two independent South African states run by the Boers, Afrikaans-speaking farmers, where huge gold and diamond deposits had been found.

Victoria commissioned 100,000 half-pound (226-gramme) bars to raise morale among the troops there.

PHOTO: Reuters via National Trust

Britain’s three main chocolate manufacturers at the time, Cadbury, Fry and Rowntree, were run by Quakers who opposed the war, so they refused to accept payment for the order and packaged the chocolate in unbranded tins.

However, the queen insisted the British soldiers should know that their treats had come from home, and the manufacturers relented and branded some of the chocolates, though not the tins.

While some tins survive, the National Trust said, it is extremely rare to trace one to its original owner, and rarer still to find the chocolate, as most recipients ate theirs.

homepage

trending

trending
    Cement silo falls off trailer after it skids, causing traffic jam along Balestier Road
    'I felt my life was shortened by a few years': Qi Yuwu and Jeanette Aw battled emotional turmoil due to career
    McDonald's collaborates with Minecraft movie to launch limited-edition blind box collectibles
    Singapore slips in ranking of world's happiest countries, but retains top spot in Southeast Asia
    Mediacorp radio DJ charged with voyeurism and sexual communication with minor
    Driver who caused death of Singaporean boy in JB accident pleads not guilty to driving while on drugs
    'He showed no remorse': Woman allegedly punched by a man unprovoked at River Valley
    3 in 5 Singapore workers would resign if they didn't experience sense of belonging at work, Randstad study finds
    Rain worsens congestion at Causeway, woman faints in bus queue
    Tay Ying to marry in June, mum Hong Huifang filled with 'happiness, pride and reluctance'
    'Very happy': Former rough sleeper among 400 singles taking up rooms at new public rental housing site

Singapore

Singapore
    • Search underway for crocodile spotted on Lim Chu Kang Road, says NParks
    • 'This is not a McDonald's drive-thru': Photos of car stuck in Toa Payoh walkway go viral
    • Community cooling centres, reduced outdoor activities in schools: Govt task force outlines measures to combat heatwave
    • Bus interchange and MRT station: Safti City unveils new training grounds for SAF soldiers
    • Over $8m lost: Police investigating more than 240 people in Singapore for involvement in scams
    • Over $198m in claims filed by creditors against Qoo10, only $34,650 recovered
    • 'Serious flight risk': David Yong of Netflix's Super Rich In Korea allegedly sought Grenada passport; application to travel overseas denied
    • Earn and Save Bonus to help boost retirement savings for over 570,000 working seniors
    • Woman arrested after injuring 3 men at People's Park Complex; chopper seized
    • 2 arrested for suspected involvement in the sale of fake mobile phones

Entertainment

Entertainment
    • E-Junkies: Gannibal's Show Kasamatsu reveals his favourite scene in season 2
    • Ariel Lin expecting second child
    • Ding Yuxi praised for 'quick reflexes' in helping save staff member on drama set
    • 'I'm a bit concerned for my and my mum's safety': Chantalle Ng reveals extreme online harassment
    • South Korea court blocks K-pop group NewJeans from leaving agency
    • Coco 2 in the works at Pixar Animation Studios
    • Sydney Sweeney to star in I Pretended to Be a Missing Girl
    • French film star Gerard Depardieu faces trial over sexual assault allegations
    • Dove Cameron had to 'diminish her voice' in early days of music career
    • Drummer Frank Ferrer leaves Guns N' Roses

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
    • Nigel Ng, aka Uncle Roger, and fiancee snap engagement photos in Taipei
    • Singapore and Japan team up to create art installation 7km in the ocean
    • Old-school supper spot Kheng Nam Lee Teochew Porridge to close
    • Jeju Air launches direct flights between Singapore and Seoul, with one-way tickets from $245
    • From hospital to lifestyle destination: Kada officially opens, here's what to expect
    • Levi's and Bearbrick unveil limited-edition collection, launching March 21
    • Cherry blossom, free visas and stronger rouble see Russians flock to Japan
    • Does oral health affect the heart? The answer might surprise you
    • What to do this weekend (March 21 to 23)
    • COE premiums continue upward trend in second bidding for March 2025

Digicult

Digicult
    • A $500 wake-up call: How the Samsung Galaxy Ring made me realise my stress
    • Monster Hunter Wilds producer explains how game has remained unique and fresh over 20 years
    • China's Baidu launches 2 new AI models as industry competition heats up
    • China's top universities expand enrolment to beef up capabilities in AI, strategic areas
    • International Women's Day: Meet the Singapore women levelling up in gaming
    • US indicts slew of alleged Chinese hackers, sanctions company over spy campaign
    • Meet the women powering innovation in tech in Singapore and beyond
    • Games in March: JRPGs, co-op games and wrestling
    • Australia fines Telegram for delay in answering child abuse, terror questions
    • Embracing the future: A personal guide to how to get started with artificial intelligence

Money

Money
    • Amid AI push, DBS to cut 4,000 temp jobs over next 3 years
    • Singapore's economy grew 4.4% in 2024, beating forecasts
    • DBS to give staff $1,000 special bonus, introduce capital return dividend
    • China's 'Hermes of gold' shines despite lacklustre demand for high-end goods
    • Sora, interest rate benchmark for home loans in Singapore, drops: What it means for homebuyers in 2025
    • Pinnacle@Duxton sets new record with $1,502 psf after 4-room unit sells for about $1.52m
    • Travel insurance for infectious diseases: What you need to know (2025)
    • Best bank offers in Singapore (March 2025): Lady Gaga concert presale, up to 50% off flights and more
    • How high will Singapore property prices get in 2025? Here's what AI predicts
    • Before you say 'I do' to a home: The checklist every newlywed couple needs in Singapore

Latest

Latest
  • UN condemns unimaginable suffering of Ukrainian children at hands of Russia
  • Daily roundup: Neta X is an affordable Chinese EV with more than a few flaws — and other top stories today
  • UK's Heathrow Airport closes for day after fire at substation
  • Trump administration response on Venezuela deportations 'woefully insufficient', judge says
  • South Korea opposition brings motion to impeach acting president
  • World's glaciers are losing record ice as global temperatures climb, UN says
  • Fast descent warning triggered on Delta jet that went belly-up on landing in Toronto
  • Trump denies Musk to be briefed on top-secret plan for potential war with China
  • Indonesia's Lewotobi Laki-laki volcano erupts; some Bali flights cancelled

In Case You Missed It

In Case You Missed It
  • St Joseph's Church stabbing: Accused given additional charges of being in possession of weapon
  • Strong winds in Hong Kong leave gondola worker 'hanging' in mid-air
  • 'It all burned': Food stall in Malaysia catches fire after rain falls on hot oil
  • Malaysian woman stunned to find car trapped among diners after car park turns into outdoor eatery at night
  • Johor invests $1.5b in water treatment infrastructure to reduce dependency on Singapore after 2030
  • Ceiling collapses at KSL City Mall in JB, viral videos show
  • Food poisoning outbreak: 187 cases linked to Total Defence Day ready-to-eat meals, probe underway
  • Blazing car on Nicoll Highway: 1 dies, 2 taken to hospital
  • FairPrice giving away 75,000 sets of snacks and drinks to Muslim customers to break fast
This website is best viewed using the latest versions of web browsers.