The Chocolate Shop

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Introduction
Issued in 2003 and based on Romary House at 26 Church Road, Tunbridge Wells. Alfred Romary set up a family bakery here in 1862 which Queen Victoria visited in 1876. The Royal Warrant for hand made biscuits continued up until our present Queen. In 1963 baking moved to Glasgow, with a final batch for Prince Charles’ wedding in 1981.

The timber frame of local Sussex oak dates from the 1500s. This front wall was added in the 18th century. 

Artists such as E H Shepard of Winnie the Pooh designed Romary tins. This one has a Victorian scene of The Pantiles. 

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Hazle Ceramics
Chocolate Shop
on Tunbridge Wells

The Pantiles is a tree-lined colonnaded walkway with shops near the spa spring found in 1606. In 1800 paving stones replaced the clay pantiles of 1700 that Queen Anne paid for after her son fell in mud! 

REVIVED PIECE!

UK/Europe £48.50
Rest of World £41.28

 Queen Victoria’s coat of arms on a Romary drawing.

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Chocolate History
Native to South America, 1100BC is the earliest known use of cacao seeds which are fermented, roasted and ground to bring out the flavour. An Aztec word for bitter water, chocolate came to Spain in 1528 after the conquest of Mexico. It was solely a drink until the first solid bar from Fry’s of England in 1847.

Chocolate is often a part of courtship. Its feelgood effect may be a result of raised serotonin levels. 

 Cocoa beans ripen on a cacao tree. Many are now grown on the Ivory Coast of West Africa. There is a trend towards fairly traded and organic cocoa.