h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

>>Gnomon, date changed

You still have that the war was in 1899 but that Victoria gave them the chocolate in 1889.

Something like that

I've just found some new info, they'll be an update coming soon.

CD/Em

Entry: Queen Victoria’s Chocolate Gifts for her Men at War - A15987324
Author: Chocoholic's Delight Club - a hootoo club with a difference - U428886

I think it was also that they didn't want to turn down Queen Victoria - that really would have been pretty scary I imagine.

One was auctioned in June for £77 (with chocolate!) http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=6635899738 (There currently appear to be four examples on there - one's used as storage for several medals). One of them gives quite accurate measurements: 155 x 92 x 25mm. There's a suggestion in one of the forums that they came in two sizes, but the examples seem to be the same size.

Ooopppss changed that date as well.

CD/Em

Can you please check those dates?

I'll proofread the rest of this when you've fixed those dates.

It's here:>> Year gift in 1899/90.<< - should be 1900.

Sorry Gnomon, I was genuinely misunderstanding, not being awkward.

I've got the other size of the tin, Natalie.

CD/Em

simpost - Bel, noticed it, eventually

Oh, Gnomon, might be an idea to wait until I've added the new info before proof reading.

CD/Em

There's one on eBay now

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Original-British-Army-Boer-War-Chocolate-Tin-from-1900_W0QQitemZ170035516150QQihZ007QQcategoryZ101150QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

CD/Em

Interesting. Although it seems Queen Vic liked choc an awful lot as she had other boxes made to commerate things like this A5872098 Grace Darling - the Lighthouse Heroine

I've done some updating on this, still more to do

I've just found a page showing both of the sizes of the tins though, it's an unreliable link, so I can't use it in the Entry.

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g34/2muddyboots_2006/boerwartin-1.jpg

CD/Em

They're fantastic pics, Emmily

They're on eBay, but as I got told off for posting an Ebay link, I just posted the enlarged picture, there's a little bit more info as well. I've got a couple of hours peace and quiet on my own, so I'll try to finish this tonight.

CD/Em

Ok, you have another fortnight

It's going to take me a fornight just to work out these damn measurements seriously, can anyone help me out here. I can't work out what these mean, and match them to the picture of the tins. D'oh!

>>Sizes are The large one 6ins-15cms x 3.1/2ins-9cms
>>Smaller one 6.1/4ins-16cms x 3.1/4ins x 8cms

CD/Em

That's correct: one inch is about 2.5 cm
So you have 6"(15cm)x 3.3"(9cm) = 134cm²
and
6.25"(16cm)x3.25"(8cm) = 128 cm²

Sorry, make that 135cm²