10.5287/BODLEIAND9XP.2
First World War Poetry Digital Archive, University Of Oxford
University Of Oxford
First World War Poetry Digital Archive
Princess Mary Christmas Fund Gift Tin with Contents (2)
Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford
2011
Dataset
Unknown
1914-12-01/1918-12-31
2011-12-05 10:57:57.420768
2011
gwa-3603
Artifact
The then Princess Mary (and others!) thought the war would be over by Christmas 1914, so wished to send a gift to all the currently serving forces. The money for the gift was raised by charity collection.
The tins contained either (for a smoker) cigarettes and pipe tobacco, or (for non-smokers) sweets. Other gifts included spices for Indian troops etc. With the main contents other items were also included, such as, e.g. a bullet pencil or pipe. Most tins included a Christmas card and photograph.
This example contains the bullet pencil, Christmas Card, photograph, and packet of opened cigarettes. The Gospel of St. John was not given as a gift by the Christmas fund, but was found in the tin.