Past Matter, Object 7: The Whitbread Tankard

After a short gap, we’re back with another object of historical significance for a researcher at Bristol. This week Emily Glass, a MLitt Student in Archaeology and Anthropology, shares an award won by her grandmother.

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My Grandmother (Joice Glass) won the Whitbread Tankard for playing bowls – sometime in the 1970’s – and my grandfather bought her the chain to put it onto. I don’t know how much she wore it at all – I certainly don’t remember her wearing it! About 10 years ago she gave it to me while I was visiting her. I am a big fan of silver and really liked it – I bought a turquoise and silver pendant while on holiday in Egypt in 2008 and exchanged it for the tankard which I then changed back to the tankard in late October 2012 when my grandmother passed away – it felt right to do so and it makes me feel closer to her. We have the same birthday – 2nd April – so we’ve always been close through that and I miss her still.