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Tiffin

Object

Container

Production date

1900s-1920s

Object number

2015.6

Physical Description

A tiffin carrier for holding ready prepared meals such as curries and chapaties.

The tiffin carrier was brought to London by Mrs B D Pandit in 1946. The Pandit and Jamdagni (formerly Sharma) family came from Delhi, India, to London at different times. Mr D P Pandit was the first to arrive in 1937 for training to be a tailor. He subsequently set up Pandit Brothers Ltd in 1946, a factory manufacturing ladies' dressing gowns, on Balls Pond Road. The first generation came by ship into Tilbury. They lived in Pedro St Clapton and Kingsland Road then settled in Balls Pond Road in 1954.

This is a peetal (brass) family tiffin carrier from the early 20th century. Tiffins, now usually made of stainless steel are used to securely transport prepared meals, typically curries, dhal, rice and chapattis, in a unique minimalist way, with the separate compartments enabling convenient consumption.





Material

Brass

Dimension

Height: 340mm
Width: 22mm

Exhibition Label

From the exhibition 'Hackney@50: The People's Choice' [12 February - 29 August 2015]

"The tiffin was brought to London by my grandmother Bhagwan Devi Pandit
in 1946. The Pandit and Jamdagni families came from Delhi, India, to London at different times. Pandit was my mother's maiden name. She married my father Kidar Sharma. My father then changed the family name by deed poll to Jamdagni in 1959. My grandfather, Devi Pershad Pandit was the first to arrive in 1937 to train to be a tailor.

He subsequently set up Pandit Brothers Ltd. in 1946, a factory manufacturing ladies' dressing gowns, on Balls Pond Road. The family later moved out of Hackney and the business closed in 1982.

This is a peetal (brass) family tiffin from the early 20th century. Tiffins, now usually made of stainless steel, are used to securely transport prepared meals, typically curries, dhal, rice and chapattis, in a unique minimalist way, with the separate compartments enabling convenient consumption. This tiffin's compartments are kept in place by the spoons on either side."

Chosen and donated by the Jamdagni Family, who lived in Hackney from 1952-1966.

On display?

Yes