Tobacco tin, 'Frae Scots tae Scots', 1900

In 1899 Queen Victoria decided to send a gift of a tin box of chocolate to each soldier serving in the Boer War (1899-1902). By the end of 1900 123,000 tins had been delivered. Some soldiers prized their gift from the queen so highly that they left the contents untouched.

Gifts of a similar nature were also sent to South Africa by others: 20,000 tins of tobacco were forwarded by the Scottish Regiments Gift Fund to soldiers serving in Scottish regiments, and the Princess of Wales, Princess Alexandra, also provided tins of confectionary.