A Christmas pudding sent from Bermondsey to naval officers fighting in the Boer War turned 125 years old this Christmas.
The festive dessert, made at the Peak Frean & Co Biscuit Factory in December 1899, is believed to be the last surviving portion from a batch of 1,000.
The fist-sized plum puddings were commissioned by Dame Agnes Weston, known as Aggie, a philanthropist known for her kindness to sailors.
Naval brigades fought with distinction in the Boer War in South Africa, which saw the British Empire battle the Boer republics for influence over Africa’s principal colony.
The sweet treats were meant as a moral boost for sailors and marines on the front line.
Unlike many puddings enjoyed by families across the UK last week, it would have been free of brandy.
Donor Dame Agnes, committed to helping officers avoid the temptations of drink and sex, ensured they were teetotal.
The tin, now in a closed display at the National Museum of the Royal Navy in Portsmouth, is believed to be the world’s oldest Christmas pudding.
A section of the pudding can be seen peering through the tin although it is unlikely to be edible after 120 years.
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The casing still features instructions for preparation, as well as a message reading: “For the Naval Brigade, In the Front, With Miss Weston’s Best Christmas & New Year, 1900, Wishes.’
The cake was found at the back of a cupboard in a home in Poole in 2011 and loaned to the museum in Portsmouth’s historic dockyard.
It either never made it to South Africa, or was brought back by its recipient.
Another Peek Freans Christmas pudding, made between 1939 and 45 is held by the British Red Cross archives.
These puddings were given to service personnel during World War II, commissioned by the Joint War Organisation of the British Red Cross Society and the Order of St John of Jerusalem.
