The Scottish Mountain Heritage Collection
1640.2022.1
Tiffin Carrier
24/01/2022
Hermione Cooper
24/01/2022
3 piece tiffen carrier with wooden handle.
Metal, wood
31(H) x 48(circumference) cms
1
“SG & CO.LTD 1947 KF 10598” ↑
Silver, brown
SG & Co. Ltd.
England
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.
24/01/2022
24/01/2022
Spectrum : UK Museum documentation standard, V.3.1 2007
24/01/2022