Objects Database

Tiffin Carrier

Accession Number

1640.2022.1

Object Name

Tiffin Carrier

Created

24/01/2022

Creator

Hermione Cooper

Accession Date

24/01/2022

Brief Description

3 piece tiffen carrier with wooden handle.

Materials

Metal, wood

Dimensions

31(H) x 48(circumference) cms

Number Of Objects

1

Inscription Description

“SG & CO.LTD 1947 KF 10598” ↑

Colour

Silver, brown

Maker

SG & Co. Ltd.

Object Production Place

England

Provenance

Tiffin is an Anglo/ Indian word which generally refers to a snack or afternoon tea. Though the custom of taking afternoon tea had been around for centuries, the actual word ‘tiffin’ seems to have originated during the days of the British Raj.
Nowadays we have tiffin chocolate bars and folk make their own chocolaty biscuit.
Back in the day and still in modern times tiffin is delivered (in India at least) in tiffin carriers by a dabbawalla … what we would call a home delivery.
In a camping, outdoor and military context, tiffin carriers were/ are used to transport food around camp, to cook in and for storage for which they are ideally suited, being pretty much vermin and fly proof.
We bought this set off the internet for a few pounds in 2021, liking the story as much as the item.
Bearing the classic military ↑ and dating from 1947, we assume it was for use around military camps though we know that surplus ones were popular in Boy Scout and Girl Guide camping.

Acquisition Date

24/01/2022

Condition Check Date

24/01/2022

Rules

Spectrum : UK Museum documentation standard, V.3.1 2007

Modified

24/01/2022

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