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Copeland invalid cups with Anglo-Boer War provenance surface from time to time. Decorated with the Geneva Red Cross and the words “British Army South Africa” or “Princess Christian’s Hospital Train”, they come in 4 and 5-inch sizes.

Although not immediately apparent from the wording, an article in Truth, dated 4 January 1900, states that those cups marked “British Army South Africa” were made for the Princess of Wales’s Hospital Ship.

Good clean examples turn up regularly enough to pose the question; how did these survive the rigours of the campaign to return to the UK in such good condition? It turns out that the answer to this lies in the fact that not all the cups left the shores of England in the first place.

Retailer of luxury goods, Thomas Goode & Co., of 19 South Audley Street, London, commissioned two batches of invalid feeders, which the firm presented to the Princess of Wales’s Hospital Ship and the Princess Christian Hospital Train. According to a contemporary report five hundred pieces were purchased for the former and one hundred for the latter. However, an unknown number were retained and sold as souvenirs, the proceeds being allocated to various soldiers’ funds. For instance, at the National Bazaar, held in Kensington on 24, 25 & 26 May 1900, the Duchess of Beaufort sold a number of each type in aid of the Gloucestershire Transvaal War Fund.

The 1902 Report of the Central Red Cross Committee includes an inventory of stores carried by the Princess of Wales’s Hospital Ship. This shows that the vessel sailed for South Africa with 200 “feeders, earthen”, which suggests that 300 of the 500 cups presented by T. Goode & Co. remained in England. In other words, it appears that more invalid feeders were retained and sold as souvenirs than were used as intended on board the ship.




















Morning Post, 19th December 1899

INVALID CUPS.

Messrs Thomas Goode and Co. have had the honour of submitting for her Majesty's inspection at Windsor samples of the specially designed invalid cups they have presented to her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales’s Hospital Ship and her Royal Highness the Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein’s Hospital Train for the sick and wounded in South Africa.


Somerset Standard, 22nd December 1899

The Queen has telegraphed her thanks to Messrs Thomas Goode and Co. for their gift of invalid cups for the Princess of Wales’s Hospital Ship.


Truth, 4th January 1900

I have just seen one of the Hospital cups, of which Messrs Goode, of South Audley Street, presented one hundred to the Princess Christian Hospital Train, with a promise to give more if required. It is a capacious vessel, holding a pint, and on the half lid, the outline of which is prettily curved, there is a Red Cross surmounted by a ribbon, bearing the words “Princess Christian’s Hospital Train”, with 1899 underneath it. The same firm presented 500 “invalid cups” to the Princess of Wales’s Hospital Ship, the pattern being similar, but with “British Army, South Africa” on the ribbons. The Queen was much interested in the specimen cups sent down to Windsor for her Majesty's inspection.


Sussex Express, 1st June 1900

OUR LONDON LETTER.

The National Bazaar in Kensington for the soldiers was four times opened – on the first occasion by the Princess of Wales, on the second by the Duke of Cambridge, on the third by Sir George White, and finally by a band of comedians headed by Dan Leno. The Princess of Wales did some selling at the Household Cavalry Stall, and also contributed two warm bed jackets, made by herself. The Princess Louis of Battenberg had gathered together many pretty things for the Royal Navy Store, and on the Gloucestershire Stall the Duchess of Beaufort had some of the invalid cups supplied to the Princess of Wales’s Hospital Ship and Princess Christian’s Hospital Train, and bearing, in addition to their designation, the Geneva Red Cross. The Countess of Warwick was at the stall of the Royal Warwickshires; the Dutchess of Portland protected the interests of the Sherwood Foresters; and the Dragoon Guards Stall, which embraced the Princess Charlotte's Dragoons, the Carbineers, and the Princess Royal's Dragoons, was presided over by the Duchess of Newcastle, who numbered among her assistants the mother of General Baden-Powell. Princess Louise and the Countess of Minto were joint-presidents of the Canadian Stall. Lady Roberts was president of the South African Contingent Stall, but in her unavoidable absence at the Cape her place was taken by the Marchioness of Hertford. Lady Ranfurly had the New Zealand Stall, the Countess of Hopetoun took charge of the interests of the Australian Contingent, with seven Countesses to give her assistance, and Lady Sandhurst presided at the stall of the men from India. The Dutchess of Roxburghe held the stall of the 1st Dragoon Guards. There was a refreshment department, over which past and present Lady Mayoresses shed a civic glow of hospitality; an American Bar, where the Duke of Newcastle and a staff specially selected made drinks which the united exertions of all the “American Beauties” now playing in London availed to press on the thirsty, and a concert arranged by Madam Albani and Mr Ronalds, which the Prince of Wales attended. On Saturday, when Sir George White performed the opening ceremony, 15,000 people attended, and he excited the greatest measure of enthusiasm. Mrs Baden-Powell sold photographs of her son for half-a-guinea as fast as she could sell them until six o’clock, when she drove away amidst the shouts of the crowd outside, who had waited to give her a great ovation, while Mr Coke presented her with an enormous basket of flowers from Princess Dolgorouki’s market. It is roughly estimated that £50,000 has been realised.


























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