A bright sunny morning and a coffee in the delightful courtyard garden at the Museum of Brands which is now located in the London Lighthouse building (previously a centre for people with AIDS/HIV in the 1980’s and 1990’s) was the starting point of a most interesting outing.

 

Our tour began with a talk covering the reasons behind, at just 16 years old, in 1963, Robert Opie picked up a Munchies wrapper and decided to collect discarded packaging.  Over 60 year’s later the collection contains over 500,000 items of which 12,000 are on display.  Whilst his idea started with sweets, he quickly branched out to include groceries, toys, consumer goods and domestic appliances.  

 

The cabinets containing memorabilia charting 200 years of social change, but the displays from the 1950’s to present were the most interesting as it was possible to see the sometime subtle changes in design, whilst still maintaining the overall integrity of the Brand.    It also charted the changes in social history from the war years, advances in technology to the change in working patterns and the advance of the ready meal.

 

There was no hint of pre-packaged ‘ready meal’ when it can to lunch at the Castle on the Portobello Road.  Fish, chips and mushy peas or sausage and mash, traditional food for a London outing!  

 

 

Many thanks to the wonderful company of all who attended and to Consort, Nigel Rolls, for organizing the event.  

 

Debby Burman - Liveryman