Memory Boxes
Memory Boxes are a great way to interact with a family member, social group, or in a care home. These boxes contain a mixture of objects relating to each topic and will soon get the conversation flowing. We have different boxes available to hire.
Some of the boxes on offer are from specific decades – such as the 1930/40s and 1950/60s. There are also thematic boxes such as Childhood and Holidays.
Available Boxes
Work
£10 weekly hire
Book here
What better now you’re finally retired than reminiscing about the days of slavery you left behind? This Memory Box contains:
Tools of the Trade: a leather case with binoculars, a wooden plane, metal tongs, and a set of six workman’s tools, a metal valve plate by H Warner and Son Engineers, and a brass cleaner for maintaining tools and equipment.
Office Essentials: a rule case with a log slide rule, a blotter, an office pins box and rubber band box, a sellotape tin and a red service bell for office tasks.
Garments and Accessories: a green collar and green belt with braces attachment, a Sidar leaflet showcasing a men’s knitted waistcoat, and ruffle-ended straps, reminiscent of workwear details.
Instructional Guides: the booklet Instructions for Singer Sewing Machine (1958), the manual How to Use the Model B Ball Bearing, and the pamphlet Summaries from Pitman’s Shorthand Instructor.
Memories of Daily Work Life: a Land Girls at the Old Rectory book, a Baileres Nurses Complete Medical Dictionary, a Post Office Savings Bank, an electronic calculator, and a Speed Weve Model 1, a handy tool for mending garments.
Collectibles and Keepsakes: a Suffolk Fire Service badge, cotton reels and a thimble, tools of the trade for sewing and mending, and a Cadbury’s New Factory in the Garden leaflet, celebrating the iconic brand.
Activities and Games
£10 weekly hire
Book here
Rediscover the joy of play with our collection of activities, toys, and sports memorabilia from years gone by. This Memory Box contains:
Classic Games and Puzzles: Ludo, Snakes and Ladders, Draughts and Checkers, Empire Dominos, a beetle game and cards, Pitkin playing cards, the motor car card game, a dice shaker and Kilkatelle Bagatelle game, a cribbage set with a tobacco promotion, and a catalogue of games.
Outdoor Adventures: a Scout leader’s hat and Scout Games book, a skipping rope, a whipping top, a fishing reel and fishing tackle tin containing 2 dice and 13 marbles, The Second Book of Camp-fire Songs, some community party games and a recreational brochure.
Sports Memorabilia: a Subbuteo table soccer game, a picture of people ice-skating, some Open Amateur Boxing Tournament advertisements (1953), football boots and an Ipswich Town programme, a Wimbledon postcard featuring Fred Perry, an album of famous tennis players in action, 2 golf balls, a copy of Cycle Speedway: A Beginner’s Guide, and 18 Ipswich football playing cards.
Fun and Novelty Items: a Magnetic Fish game (including the magnetic board, fish, and 4 rods), a cup and ball game, a yo-yo, a clacker, and a glycerine and blackcurrant pastilles tin with tiddlywinks – a sweet treat with a game inside.
Royalty
£10 weekly hire
Book here
Memories of important events in the royal family over the years. This Memory Box contains:
Historic Newspapers and Magazines: We have a special Daily Mail Silver Wedding Edition, Wedding Day Souvenir, and William’s birth announcement, a special edition Invincible Return from The Sun, a 1981 Royal Wedding Souvenir from the Daily Mirror, the 1982 What a Welcome from the Daily Express, the Daily Telegraph’s Coronation Picture Supplement, the Radio Times’ Coronation Number, the TV Times’ 1981 Royal Wedding Souvenir: The Prince and Princess of Wales, the Metro’s coverage of William and Katherine’s engagement, the Illustrated London News’ Special edition on the Silver Jubilee, and the Daily Sketch’s Coronation Number.
Royal Memorabilia: a Silver Jubilee cup, a Marriage of the Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer cup, a Coronation teapot, a Charles and Diana tin and wedding mug, a Prince William spoon, a Queen Mother tea towel, a thimble, a Union Jack, 3 postcards of the royal family, and 2 royalty stamps.
Books and Programs: Diana Princess of Wales: A Tribute in Photographs, The Silver Jubilee Book: The Story of 25 Eventful Years in Pictures, The Royal Wedding Official Programme (1981), Royal South Africa Visit, Queen Elizabeth: The Queen Mother (1900-2002), and 2 personal scrapbook collections of royal memories
International
£10 weekly hire
Book here
Objects from around the world, including the British Empire. This Memory Box contains:
Cultural Arts and Crafts: a Russian porcelain doll, embroidered silk slippers and skirt, a sari top and shawl, a Chinese calendar, and some cross-stitched birds on cotton.
Games and Recreation: the Brazilian edition of a Subbuteo table soccer set, a skipping rope with traditional wooden handles, a Sergio Brunes al Vi Festival di Napoli LP, a bag of marbles in various colors and sizes, a blue 5 stones game and two additional sets of five stones, and an Elephant brand of playing cards.
Culinary and Household Items: an Antigua tea towel, some chopsticks and their case, large and small painted wooden spoons with egg, a French tin containing a collection of vintage coins, stamps from around the world, an album of national flags and arms, and a Philippines vegetable decoration.
Educational and Historical Documents: Traditional Stories from West Africa and the Caribbean, The Empire’s Strength posters: “Do you know that India?” and “Do you know the colonies?” and a soldier’s guide to Hindustani.
Holidays
£10 weekly hire
Book here
Explore cherished holiday memories from both Britain and distant shores. This Memory Box contains:
Travel Memorabilia: a travel iron, train tickets from iconic locations including Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch and St Pancras, historical hotel hangers, price lists from The West Two and Livermead House Hotel, a Box Brownie camera from the 1960s, flags and emblems of the world game, a travelling chess set, and a Skegness programme
Books and Guides: a Scottish history and clan book, a Norfolk coast book, a Cambrians Coast book (1966), a travel London pack (1979), a 1970 Blackpool guide, a Happy Holiday Ladybird book, and guides to Blackpool, Skegness, Sunny Salcombe District, Whitby, and more.
Souvenirs: BOAC memorabilia including a fan and matchbox, a Butlins Beavers pin (1967) and Butland tin with shells, Cosmos magazine (1977), a starfish, driftwood, a red spade, a replica boxing poster, a collection of postcards (from Burma, Eastbourne, London Savoy, and more), a Punch and Judy postcard, and Empress Ballroom and Blackpool Winter Gardens postcards
1930s/40s At Home
£10 weekly hire
Book here
Wartime memories and historical artefacts. This Memory Box contains:
Official Documents and Publications: an air raid shelter advertisement, a Celebration Event in a street photo, a telegram, coupon advertisements, a Ministry of Food leaflet, an identity card, a clothing book, a ration book, milk tokens, an A.R.P arm band
Books and Literature: a set of 4 quotations, The Home Front book, The War Illustrated – January 24th 1941, We’ll Eat Again by Marguerite Patten, Britain’s Food Book, The Stork Wartime Cookery Book, Wise Eating in Wartime book, Land Girls at the Old Rectory book, St Johns Home Nursing book, Home Front Songs, and Be Sure To Keep This Book
Household and Personal Items: a tin of National Dried Milk, Gloves Galore patterns, a first aid tin, brass cleaner, two picture hooks, a packet containing thread, a darning mushroom, a tortoiseshell cigarettes tin, a pair of black gloves, two dolly pegs, a handkerchief, a clothes brush, a tin of dried eggs, a mirror, a pair of brown ladies shoes, a bar of carbolic soap, a tin plate, a tin candleholder, a tablecloth with house and garden scene, a blue dress, a white nightdress, Thillips shaped heels, a blackout game, Scourine: The Quick Smooth Cleanser, a Silktonia liquid silk stockings postcard, replica cigarette cards, a postcard of a child’s gas mask, a Knitting for RAF postcard, and a Henley’s Tyres advert
1930s/40s Socialising
£10 weekly hire
Book here
An array of fashion items, entertainment memorabilia, and everyday objects from this era. This Memory Box contains:
Fashion and Accessories: a black ladies’ bowler hat, a blue ladies’ hat from Jacoll, a handmade flowery dress, a crocheted white tablecloth, a white with flowers tablecloth, a pair of black shoes with snakeskin decoration, Thillips shaped heels, a pair of crochet gloves, a matching brush and mirror set, a green handkerchief, a brown handbag, a Patons Beehive vest wool leaflet, Bestway fashion leaflets (including Beret, Turban, Cap, Sweet Lacey Bolero, Lady’s Jumper in Rayon, and Butterick dress designs), and guides to DIY fashion.
Entertainment and Media: a Frank Sinatra LP, a ‘Be anything’ colour record front with sheet music, Picture Post (November 1st, 1941), Picturegoer (1947), and 1940s Getty images book, The British Film Annual 1949, a picture of the Bull Dart Club 1949-50, a Babes in the Wood at the Hippodrome, Ipswich advert, Fred & Ginger trading cards and pictures of movie stars.
Everyday Items: Bezique and Polish Bezique playing cards, an Embassy Box Number 2 camera, train tickets for on-duty officers, St John’s Ambulance First Aid to the Injured, Ipswich At War book, a state express tin containing a collection of period coins and Pure fresh milk tokens, a darning mushroom, an Ipswich Co-operative Society boot lacer, a clothing book and Favourite Wartime Songs.
1970s
£10 weekly hire
Book here
Be transported back to the 1970s with pop culture artefacts and clothes. This Memory Box contains:
Entertainment and Media: a Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee 1977 cup, ABBA and Carpenters tapes, a CD of the 1970s ultimate collection, the Blue Peter Tenth Book, The Dr Who Annual 1978, Guinness Book of Records 1977 Edition, Look in Magazine (18th November 1978), Cosmos magazine (1976), a Star Wars comic 1979, Charlie’s Angels Annual, and Jackie (March 24th, 1979), a toy Orinoco Womble, a figure of Chewbacca, and a Miss Piggy toy.
Fashion and Accessories: a 1970s dress, women’s blue platform shoes, women’s flares, a men’s floral brown shirt, purple trousers, a David Bowie scarf, an “I love Donny” patch, a blue hat, a brown tie, Simplicity Tracing Paper Patterns for girls, a jacket and trousers.
Household and Miscellaneous Items: a kerosene lamp, a green oil lamp, Fairy soap in a box, a Bisto container, a matchsticks game, the Mastermind game, dominoes, a Luxembourg spinning top, a copy of the Daily Mail (October 31st, 1972), a decimal currency converter, a Green Cross code badge, Dunhill cigarette filters and a fondue set.
