on the desk in roald dahl’s writing hut, right next to the chair where he sat to write many of his famous stories – including charlie and the chocolate factory – there is a collection of strange and wonderful items, some of which are particularly curious.
one of these is what appears to be a cannonball. it’s grey and fits into the palm of one hand. it looks like it would be quite heavy. it’s not a cannonball, though. it’s actually chocolate wrappers. hundreds and hundreds of silver foil wrappers that were originally used to keep a chocolate bar nice and fresh.
when roald was working for shell oil in london, before he set off on his adventures in africa and then on to the second world war, he often used to have a chocolate bar with his lunch. every time he had a chocolate bar he would add the wrapper to his growing collection. the first one he wrapped up into a little ball, and then every time he had another he would wrap it around the one from the day before, and so eventually the little ball of silver foil wrappers grew larger and heavier and took on the cannonball-like appearance it has today.
roald kept this collection of chocolate wrappers on the desk in his writing hut along with other things that inspired him, or reminded him of his earlier days. if you’re ever in the roald dahl museum and story centre in great missenden you can see it for yourself.
—
credits: roalddahl.com
I would love to visit. Went once but it was after closing time, we did enjoy wandering around the other landmarks in the village though
LikeLiked by 1 person
i’d love to see it –
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have reblogged my post ‘Roald Dahl’s village’ so you can see some of the details of the village.
LikeLiked by 1 person
wonderful – thank you !
LikeLiked by 1 person
nyc post http://newsmasterbd.com/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fascinating and fun! That’s a lot of chocolate
>
LikeLike
it is. obvious he loved chocolate, judging by this and his charlie story –
LikeLike
Another fun bit of information from your blog…………:))
LikeLiked by 1 person
you never know what bit of trivia will be found here )
LikeLike
Interesting story!
LikeLiked by 1 person
he was an interesting man –
LikeLiked by 1 person
he most certainly was!
LikeLiked by 1 person
❤️
LikeLiked by 1 person
))
LikeLike
Why am I so fascinated by this??? I want to have it in the palm of my hand. Just for a second.
LikeLiked by 1 person
i know, me too!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That is an awful lot of chocolate!
LikeLiked by 1 person
yes, and it took years to make –
LikeLike
How interesting. I wish I had eaten each and every one…or maybe not.
LikeLiked by 1 person
mixed feelings on this one )
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow. What a neat piece of information!
LikeLiked by 1 person
great trivia i think )
LikeLiked by 1 person
And firm endorsement for chocolate, which I eat daily.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes –
LikeLike
I knew there was a reason to enjoy chocolate that much more. We love Roald Dahl in our house and watched Charlie and Chocolate Factory twice ( two versions) over the break. What a wonderous thing a chocolate wrapper is.. I’ve had gold and pink and so many kinds..
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love the wrappers, and what’s inside, too )
LikeLike
Interesting. And a good question. Since I write from my laptop, my computer is the only thing on my lap (a.k.a., my desk)!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ah )
LikeLiked by 1 person
so little roy did not do this first? ask him about his shenanigans…
LikeLiked by 2 people
it does seem ‘so roy, ‘ i can’t wait to hear…)
LikeLiked by 2 people
lol! where to begin: 1) stole an angel – just the angel – that was the top to a turtle box my mom had, and hid her (the angel) in my desk drawer for safe keeping; 2) I shoved about 4,000 sucker wrappers in the backseat ashtrays of our car, and then secured them with a LOT of half chewed gum; 3) I put stickers (not the removable kind) ALL over my windows; 4) I dismantled the musical mechanism on a baby rocking chair; 5) I put my blanket over a globe lamp and when the glass immediately cracked, just left the blanket there as if no one would notice. the list goes on … and this was all just last year.
LikeLiked by 1 person
really? you did all of that? I was referring to the topsy toss and the stash of hershey’s kisses wrappers I found when you were in college and topsy was deceased…thou dost protest too much…maybe it is topsy who is roald dahl–ish? we are communicating on beth’s dime and time here!
LikeLiked by 1 person
haha! oh, yes! no, I did that. but I was the TRAINER in that scenario, and Topsy was the culprit! but yes, she did love her “silvers” and would hide them EVERYWHERE!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha!
LikeLiked by 2 people
So funny!
LikeLiked by 2 people
my writing desk is a bit of a mess but I know where everything is 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mine too –
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow! You told a great part of a Writer’s desk and how it becomes a muse and inspiration. I liked this one a lot, Beth. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, robin )
LikeLike
And to think we’re supposed to limit ourselves to one tiny square of chocolate a day… This proves that wrong – unless he died of tooth decay 😛
Ellespeth
LikeLiked by 1 person
ha – not at all. i say we go for it!
LikeLike
How fascinating – I’m going to try this with packets of Roast Beef Monster Munch 😁
LikeLiked by 1 person
ha – pefect )
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a neat story!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I loved it )
LikeLiked by 1 person
I wonder if it smells of chocolate!
LikeLiked by 1 person
i’ll bet it does )
LikeLike
You are a regular source of fun facts. Only problem is I get distracted from writing and want to explore more about whatever the topic is. Now I shall check him out more thoroughly. Thanks so much. My writing will have to wait. Procrastination feeder. That’s what this is. Dang.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yep. Just as I suspected. I looked up the writing shed and village and it led me to other writing sheds and so on…
LikeLiked by 1 person
oops, yep )
LikeLike
he is one of my favorites for many reasons – and i go through the same process on a regular basis )
LikeLike