WWI ‘Christmas Box’ and Spike Island internment notebooks amongst the items donated to Cork museum over the year

A WWI 'Christmas Box', Spike Island internment notebooks and an extensive collection of ethnic and tribal masks were amongst the fascinating artefacts Cork Public Museum acquired over the course of 2022.

Heading into the New Year, the museum, located within Fitzgerald Park, has shared details of a vast and diverse assortment of historic items that have been donated this year.

Amongst them was a WWI 'Christmas Box', donated by a member of the public who found the box behind a water tank during a house renovation.

“A plan was devised, that was originally conceived by Princess Mary, to supply each member of the British Armed forces serving abroad with a gift box for Christmas 1914.

“After its initial run, it was subsequently decided to also send a gift box to all serving members, home or abroad, prisoners of war, as well as next of kin of 1914 casualties,” the museum explained.

“It was anticipated that every eligible recipient would receive an embossed brass box, one ounce of pipe tobacco, twenty cigarettes, a pipe, a tinder lighter, Christmas card and photograph of the King and Queen.

“As the British Armed Forces consisted of numerous nationalities, religious and dietary requirements, it soon became clear to organisers that the proposed contents of the box would not be suitable for everyone.” 

Later on, different versions with varied contents were distributed.

Overall it is estimated that over 2.6m boxes were produced.

The boxes were often used by soldiers to keep letters or their tobacco dry whilst fighting in the trenches.

The inscription on the inside of the one donated, the museum said, “suggests it was possibly later used as a collection box during an election campaign for JJ Walsh - most likely in the 1918 General Election”.

Cork Public Museum also acquired additional items pertaining to the War of Independence and the Civil War over the course of the year.

Amongst them are artefacts relating to Tim, Patrick (P.J.) and William Luddy, active Irish Volunteers/IRA members from the mid-1910’s, who later joined Anti-Treaty guerrilla forces.

Every member of the Mitchelstown-based family including sisters Annie and Margaret, members of Cumann na mBan, were somehow involved in the fight for Irish independence.

The items, donated by Bill Luddy and family, include various related artefacts, including a stolen Bank of Ireland silver bag, Tim Luddy’s Spike Island internment notebooks, a military pension, land ownership documents, and a demesne notebook.

Another interesting donation made to the museum earlier this year was a collection of ethnic and tribal masks from a donor who lives locally in Cork.

The extensive collection of masks, predominantly from the African continent, were collected over a large number of years.

“With the collaboration of Cork's African Community, the donor and us, we are exhibiting a selection of the masks until spring 2023 when we then will develop future events around them,” the museum said.

“We wish to thank the donor and Cork's African community for helping us realise this interesting and engaging collection.” 

To view more items donated to the museum over the year, see the Cork Public Museum Facebook page.

The museum reopens after the Christmas period on January 3.