Two cakes bearing the image of the Biddenden maids conjoined twins, with broadsheet, 19th Century

Made:
1801-1900

Two cakes bearing the image of the Biddenden maids conjoined twins, with broadsheet, English, 19th century

Elisa and Mary Chulkhurst (1100-1134) were conjoined twins named after their home town of Biddenden, in Kent, England. They lived for 34 years joined at the hips and shoulders, until one of the twins died. The other refused to be separated from her dead twin saying “As we came together we will go together” and died six hours later. The twins are said to have left land to the Church, the rental income from which was to be used to purchase food for the poor to be distributed on Easter Sunday. Cakes bearing the image of the twins were also to be distributed. Today, cakes are distributed to the elderly on Easter Monday.

Details

Category:
Ethnography and Folk Medicine
Collection:
Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
Object Number:
A1309
Materials:
bread
type:
souvenirs
credit:
Wellcome Trust (Purchased from Stevens)

Parts

Broadsheet describing the Biddenden Maids, Kent, England, 1801-1900

Broadsheet describing the Biddenden Maids, Kent, England, 1801-1900

Broadsheet describing the Biddenden maids, English, 19th century

Measurements:
overall: 335 mm x 215 mm x 5 mm, .01kg
Materials:
paper
Object Number:
A1309 Pt1
type:
broadsheet