Souvenir chocolate tin - Coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra (1902)

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Cadbury Bros. Ltd.

1902

Overview

Rectangular, pocket-sized metal chocolate tin produced by the Cadbury Bros. Ltd. company to celebrate the Coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra in 1902.
The lithographed tin-plated tin features side-by-side portrait illustrations of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra enclosed in decorative, slightly overlapping gold rimmed oval frames.
King Edward VII is dressed in his royal robes on the left, while Queen Alexandra is wearing a high necked dress and a crown on the right.
The upper left corner features a stylised letter 'E' (Edward), and the upper right displays 'A' (Alexandra), both in cream.
A loose decorative gold coloured ribbon bearing the inscription 'Coronation of King Edward VII & Queen Alexandra 26th June 1902' extends below the portraits across the lower section of the tin. There is a depiction of the Imperial State crown in the centre of the ribbon between the text.
The entire background of the lid is finished in a deep brick red 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 BROS. LTD.', but is otherwise plain.

Historical information

The coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra took place at Westminster Abbey, London, on 9 August 1902.
The tin prominently bears the date 'June 26th 1902'. However, the actual coronation was delayed because the King unexpectedly fell ill with acute appendicitis in the days prior to the event. As the souvenir tins had already been manufactured and distributed by companies like Cadbury, they still carry the original planned June date.
The Coronation prompted widespread patriotic celebrations across Australia just a year after Federation, allowing the new nation to reaffirm its place in the British Empire.
Towns and cities nationwide held public holiday events, closing banks, government offices, and local businesses while school children gathered for special assemblies and sports days.

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-RoW01101

Item type

Collectibles

Decorative Objects

Lithographs

Souvenirs

Themes

Food & Beverage

Social History

Material