Scarce 2nd Boer War Queen Victorian Gift Chocolate Tin (Original Contents) 1900

The Queen Victoria Boer War Chocolate Tin is a fascinating piece of military memorabilia, commissioned by the Queen herself as a New Year's gift for her troops serving in South Africa in 1900.

Historical Context

Despite her age and the logistics involved, Queen Victoria wanted to personally show her appreciation for the soldiers. She ordered approximately 123,000 tins of chocolate. However, because she was paying for them out of her own "Privy Purse," the project was fraught with administrative hurdles—including a bit of a dispute between the three major British chocolate manufacturers of the time.

Manufacturers

Interestingly, the three companies chosen to produce the chocolate—Fry, Cadbury, and Rowntree—were all owned by Quakers. Because of their pacifist beliefs, they initially refused to put their branding on a product intended for war. Eventually, a compromise was reached: the chocolate was unbranded, though some manufacturers still stamped the tins or the internal foil.

Physical Characteristics

The tins are highly distinctive and followed a specific design:

• Front: Features a medallion portrait of Queen Victoria.

• Inscriptions: Her royal monogram (VRI) and the words "South Africa 1900" and "I wish you a happy New Year" in her own handwriting.

• Color: Usually a deep red or blue tin with gilded (gold) lettering and borders.

THE QUEEN'S CHOCOLATE BOXES.

A "RIVAL" FOR THE BIBLE.

At the Orange River a correspondent of the Daily News has been making determined attempts to buy one of the Queen's chocolate boxes. He remarked casually to a gunner of the Horse Artillery that the box he was carrying was a pretty one. The gunner admitted it was a very pretty box, and, "wot's more, it ain't for sale." A corporal of the Essex Regiment, asked what he wanted for his box, treated the question with silent contempt.

The correspondent then offered one of the Buffs two pounds for his treasure. But sentiment once more prevailed over the "auri sacra fames." "I'm sending it

'ome," said our Buff. "I promised the ole woman"-he was a Reservist-'''Tain't because I couldn't do with the blimey thick 'uns, an'-no, it's the Old Lady's gift, an' I might be buried without gittin' a medal, an' l've got this, an' any'ow, guv'nor, hopin' there's no offence I'll send it home."

At the same time, it seems, the Queen is to have back the box which she sent to Private Humphrey. For it has a Boer bullet embedded in it, and was the means of saving his life. Here is a serious rival to the Bible as a physical life preserver.