21.09.2011
historic pea - found at last!
green vegetable, vital for the selection of Royal Brides-to-be, now on display at Story Museum
The purchaser of the late Queen Mother’s third best handbag was surprised and excited to discover more than he’d bargained at the Motherby’s Annual Sale of Royal Memorabilia.
“I couldn’t believe it when I looked inside,” commented Geoffrey Holdall, a keen collector of historic handbags. “The original contents were there, unchanged probably from the mid 1960s. And alongside a royal hipflask and a small quantity of dog biscuits, we found a vintage matchbox, containing the Pea – in mint condition!”
The tiny but vital historic artefact was discovered hidden away in a part of the handbag that had been inaccessible to the public since the early 1930s. The Pea was found in a perfect state of preservation, wrapped in a newspaper cutting from 1923, inside a Swan Vistas matchbox. It is thought that the distinguished legume has passed from Queen to Queen through the generations since its original employment under twenty mattresses and feather beds as the definitive Princess Selection Technique.
A Royal Handbag Expert commented: “Perhaps the Queen Mum was hanging on to the Pea to pass it quietly on to Prince William, her favourite grandchild. But sadly she doesn’t seem to have managed it in time.”
The Pea is currently on display in a window at the site of the future Story Museum, Oxford. Co-director Kim Pickin said today: “We’re thrilled to have the honour of displaying this valuable piece of fairytale history.”
Although the Story Museum is not yet open to the public, passersby can now view two unusual windows, the Pea and Rochester’s Story Supplies, which displays items for fictional characters only.
The Pea was unavailable for comment, but author and illustrator Mini Grey is acting as spokesperson for the Pea. She may be contacted via Cath Nightingale at The Story Museum cath@storymuseum.org.uk 01865 790050, mobile 07798 665629.
Note to editors
Mini Grey was given her name after being born in a mini in a car park in South Wales. The awardwinning author and illustrator lives in Oxford. Mini is the Nestlé Smarties award-winning author and illustrator of Biscuit Bear and won the Kate Greenaway Medal for The Adventures of the Dish and the Spoon. Her latest book is Traction Man and the Beach Odyssey.
The Story Museum works to celebrate and demonstrate the power of stories to inspire learning, especially for the young. We use storytelling to improve language skills and confidence; since 2005 we have been piloting programmes in schools that reach 10,000 children a year, particularly the disadvantaged. In 2014 the Story Museum plans to open a magical new world centre of children's literature and storytelling in the heart of Oxford. The Museum's patrons are Philip Pullman, Michael Morpurgo, Michael Rosen and Jacqueline Wilson. Its Trustees include publisher David Fickling and children’s playwright David Wood OBE.
The Story Museum is a charity and not-for-profit company.
