Collector donates sweet memorabilia to Craven Arms museum
They are the kind of thing we throw away without a second thought, and years later think we may never see again.
But one anonymous collector has been holding on to sweet wrappers from decades gone by and now has donated them to the Land of Lost Content museum in Craven Arms, where a selection is being put on display for the Easter holidays.
The museum on Market Street is home to Stella Mitchell's huge collection of memorabilia, as much focused on the everyday items as things held up as cherished or special at the time.
Stella said: "The new display is basically a big framed board I have put together from a collection of sweet wrappers from the past 45 years or so.
"There is a very kind lady in Ludlow who has been collecting them her whole life – and I think she said her father collected them too because some are really old, going back to the early 1950s, things you've never heard of like Cadbury's Pineapple Bar."
She said other gems included Munchies wrappers from the 1960s, 1970s Curly Wurly wrappers and even the very rare and short lived Aztec bar, released in 1967.
"The Aztec bar is like a the holy grail for collectors because you just never see them – but this lady had two," she said.
She said the display board was just a small selection, and she had spent hours trying to decide what to include.
"There are thousands of wrappers, some in albums, some just loose. It's really very kind of her to donate them.
"It will only be up during Easter because with thing like these you've got to be very careful with them, they can't be out in direct sunlight all the time."
The wrappers are not the only veteran snacks on display at the museum.
Another recent acquisition is a special packet of Golden Wonder smokey bacon flavour crisps – with the potato crisps still inside – which was found up for sale online.
Stella said: "We know they are from before 1971 when decimal currency came in because the price on them is 5d, reduced from 7d.
"That's a rare item, I can tell you – you're more likely to find a tin of soup from the war because those things did not have a sell by date and stayed at the back of people's cupboards.
"But no one keeps a packet of crisps."
Also during Easter there will be an egg hunt competition for those visiting the museum, with coloured eggs hidden in the various displays and a chocolate treat for those who spot every one.
The Land of Lost content is open every day, except Sundays and Wednesdays, from 11am to 5pm, last admission 4.15pm.
