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Kitchener Biscuit Reading Museum/Reading Borough Council. All Rights Reserved
Exhibition
The First World War in Biscuits
16 May 2015 – 15 Jul 2015
Event times
10am to 5pm
Cost of entry
Free Admission
Address
- 74 High Street
- Colchester
- CO1 1UE
- United Kingdom
Travel Information
- Situated at the end of Colchester High Street, next to the bus station, and a short walk from Colchester Town railway station.
A unique collection of 100 year-old ration biscuits, personally modified by soldiers, alongside a range of archival materials, interviews, photographs and film-footage exploring the relationship between food, creativity and conflict.
About
The country's largest biscuit factory, Huntley & Palmers, played a crucial role during the First World War, supplying ration biscuits to troops on the front line. The ration biscuits were very hard, but when the soldiers soaked them in water or tea, they became a substantial meal, providing badly needed sustenance. As well as being a staple of the army's diet, some of the biscuits were creatively re-fashioned by soldiers in the trenches and sent home to friends and family with personal messages. Rather than being consumed, the biscuits were transformed into picture frames, postcards and canvases.
These army biscuits have formed the inspiration for The First World War in Biscuits, which is a stunning audio-visual, object-centred installation that explores the relationship between food, creativity and conflict. Included is a unique collection of 100 year-old ration biscuits, personally modified by soldiers, alongside a range of archival materials, interviews, photographs and film-footage.
As well as being able to see examples of how these biscuits were crafted by soldiers, this exciting installation provides an opportunity to hear historians talk about the army biscuit and the significance of food during the war. It reflects on the emotional and social role of the biscuits in the soldiers’ lives and explores the broader issues of separation and loss.
