We've had a recent discussion about Charles Dickens's wine in the Wine Forum*, now for a festive food story..
In1869 Charles Dickens was gifted a 30lb turkey by his reading tour agent who sent the turkey by rail. The train company moved the turkey, along with other parcels, to a replacement horse-box carriage in Gloucester, which subsequently caught fire.
The charred remains were later offered to the people of Reading, for sixpence a portion.
That was Dickens last Christmas as he died the following year.
Full story, with photo of Dickens letter to Great Western Railway Company , in The Guardian at
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/ ... rn-railway
* viewtopic.php?f=3&t=63116