In May, an 84-year-old chocolate egg that survived World War II intact and untouched will be auctioned off.
In 1939, nine-year-old Sybil Cook from Neath received an egg for Easter.
With war on the horizon, her relative advised her to ration food and savor each bite.
Despite her fondness for chocolate, she did not merely ration it but preserved and cherished it until she died in 2021.
After retaining it for the duration of World War II, from September 1, 1939, to September 2, 1945, Ms. Cook kept it untouched and undamaged for an additional 76 years.
“Mum loved life and chocolate,” said Cardiff-based 61-year-old daughter Gill Bolter.
“As a war loomed on the horizon, her uncle cautioned her, ‘Be cautious with that, my dear, there may not be any chocolate available soon’.
“He advised her to conserve. She was so self-controlled and respectful of her elders that she never ate a single piece.
“When we asked mum how she’d managed to keep the egg for so long, she explained that it didn’t seem right to eat it because she’d kept it throughout the war.”
When Sybil died in 2021 at the age of 91, the Mary Mary Quite Contrary egg wrapped in blue and white paper with a garden scene depicting a young girl with a watering can remain intact.
The box still carries her pencil-written name, Sybil Cook, and the year 1939.
Now, Sybil’s family has decided to give away the Easter egg to commemorate their mother’s life and special family memory.
The 84-year-old egg will be auctioned off between May 18 and May 23 by Hansons Auctioneers, with an estimated price range of £600 to £800.
Ms. Bolter added, “The egg was extremely valuable to her.” Having kept it secure throughout her childhood, she brought it with her when she left home to get married in 1955 and kept it on a shelf in her bedroom for sixty years.
“After her passing, one of the nursing home’s attendants penned a touching eulogy. She stated, “I would give her chocolate after her evening medication.” She would always look at me with a mischievous grin and ask, “Why not? In the end, it’s the best medication”.
Covid was a very challenging time for all of us. Unfortunately, like thousands of other families, we maintained contact with weekly visits outside the care facility for 18 months.
“However, their mother deteriorated early in 2021 and passed away one week after her 91st birthday. I am still irritated by the memory of us attempting to croon her happy birthday through a window”.
Her Easter egg evokes fond recollections for all of us, including my daughter, who is her only grandchild.
“Mum enjoyed watching television antique programs and would have been thrilled to be a part of this. It would be wonderful if the egg and mother’s wartime memories were placed in a museum.”
The proprietor of Hansons Auctioneers, Charles Hanson, stated, “The story surrounding this Easter egg warmed my heart. It is a delightful reminder of wartime austerity, respectful obedience, and a young girl who was so strict with herself that she wouldn’t allow herself even a sliver of her favorite treat.
“The preservation of a chocolate egg by not eating it for more than 80 years has made it valuable, even though its best-before date has passed and its edible value, commercial value, and memories and nostalgia linger on.
Britain had food rationing from 1940 to 1954, nearly ten years after World War II. Bread was added to the diet and the dessert portion was halved in 1946, when food was limited again.
“Sybil’s egg serves as a reminder of those trying times. She was of a generation that had experienced hardship. They learned to cherish and value even the most insignificant objects. That is an admirable trait of character.”
