Research Request: "The Materiality, Memories and Material Culture of Princess Mary’s 1914 Christmas Gift to Soldiers and Sailors during the First World War"
Can you help with the following research? Hello, my name is Martin Barry. I am a PhD student from the University of Bristol researching ‘The Materiality, Memories and Material Culture of Princess Mary’s 1914 Christmas Gift to Soldiers and Sailors during the First World War’. These little embossed brass boxes were only given to those ‘wearing the King’s uniform on Christmas Day 1914’ and in all around 2.6 million were issued. They were packed individually into a cardboard box along with accompanying ‘comforts’ such as smoking pipes, tobacco, cigarettes, sweets for non-smokers and chocolate for nurses. Nothing was placed inside the brass box except either a flint and tinder cigarette lighter or a pencil made from a rifle bullet. This object is a powerful example of the material culture of the First World War and carries with it many significant biographies. Biographies that include memory, remembrance and commemoration. Some are empty reminders of a much-loved ...
