Souvenir chocolate tin - Coronation of King George V and Queen Mary (1911)

« Prev Item Next Item »

Cadbury Bournville

1911

Overview

Rectangular, pocket-sized metal chocolate tin produced by the Cadbury Bournville company to celebrate the Coronation of King George V and Queen Mary in 1911.
The lithographed tin-plated tin features two oval portraits set side-by-side. On the left is King George V wearing a formal ceremonial military collar with honours, while on the right is Queen Mary facing forward, adorned with a tall diamond crown tiara and a high-neck pearl choker necklace.
Each portrait is framed by a green, tightly bound laurel leaf wreath tied together at the centre intersections with crossed gold ribbons.
The upper left corner features a red, stylized Edwardian cursive script letter 'G' (for George) inside a small golden laurel ring tied with a bow. The upper right corner balances this with a matching letter 'M' (for Mary).
A loose decorative cream coloured ribbon bearing the lithographed inscription 'Coronation of KING GEORGE. V. AND QUEEN MARY 1911' extends below the portraits across the lower section of the tin.
The entire background of the lid is finished in a bright orange colour, offset by a thin golden border trim running along the outer rim of the hinged lid.
The base of the tin features the maker's name 'CADBURY BOURNVILLE', but is otherwise plain.

Historical information

The coronation of King George V and Queen Mary took place at Westminster Abbey, London, on Thursday, 22 June 1911.
In Australia, the event was celebrated with nationwide public holidays, patriotic parades, community sports, and the distribution of over 400,000 commemorative medals to school children.
Towns held large public marches featuring local brass bands, fire brigades, school children, and friendly societies. Main streets, local shops, and private homes were heavily decorated with patriotic bunting, flags, and streamers. Schools hosted special assemblies featuring flag drills, salutes to the Union Jack, and the singing of patriotic songs. Communities gathered at local showgrounds and parks for organized sports programs, combined church services, and community picnics. Businesses closed for the day to let workers join the festivities.

A wide range of souvenirs were sold to commemorate the event. These included ceramics and pottery, medals and coins, textiles and paper goods, and decorative metalware and tins such as this example.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-119-RoW01099

Item type

Collectibles

Decorative Objects

Lithographs

Souvenirs

Themes

Food & Beverage

Social History

Material