Restoration work at Buckingham Palace has revealed a collection of everyday items that offer a glimpse into the past, with some artifacts dating back to the mid-19th century. The discoveries were made during ongoing renovations at the London royal residence.
Among the unearthed items are blank Littlewoods Football Pool betting slips from 1957 and fragments of West End theatre listings from The Standard newspaper, dated to 1889. Also found were pieces of Minton decorative ceramic tiles, believed to be from a fireplace hearth and dating to the mid-1800s.
Other discoveries include a pewter tankard, a wooden junction box, and a faded box containing six Christmas cards. Electrical wire covered with vulcanised Indian rubber cabling, identified as a fire risk and prioritized for replacement, was also found.
Pages from the Daily Express newspaper from 1966, detailing the "maximum security" prison where the Great Train Robbers were incarcerated, were uncovered. The article featured images of Durham Prison and noted that the inmates spent their time stitching for nine shillings a week.
A whist drive ticket, priced at sixpence, is believed to have taken place during the reign of King George VI. Such events would have been hosted by the Buckingham Palace social club.
Notes regarding palace events were also found, including a procedure for an evening reception for members of the Diplomatic Corps on November 17, 1977. This document detailed how the monarch would work the room in a clockwise direction and instructed aides to encourage the 350 British guests to mingle with diplomats. The British guests were to be distributed throughout the State Rooms, with the exception of the Music Room and West Gallery, where they were encouraged to interact with diplomats.
