Horray for Heirlooms

Once upon a time there was girl named Felicia Mary Cox, who was born in Poona, India to her British parents who had been offered a special post to stay in the country after her father suffered a first world war injury. She enjoyed a precious childhood playing with her brother and sisters in the Indian countryside and would often go out with her father into the forests and explore the river banks. One day her father shot a crocodile they came across along the waters edge, and when the animal was opened up, they discovered the remains of a small child along with the child’s bracelets. Felicia was very upset by the find, but her father sent the crocodile skin to Madras where it was made into four clutch bags, one each for his wife and three daughters. Felicia grew up to treasure her bag, remembering the day she found the crocodile with her father and feeling glad that the poor dead child was in a way, avenged. She eventually moved to the UK after she married her husband Morgan in 1945, and had three children of her own. The second of these, she named Jane. She would often tell her children about her childhood in India with great fondness, and among the stories was always the time her father shot the crocodile and made the skin into four handbags. Eventually, Jane had two children herself, and Felicia shared the same stories with these grandchildren who would always ask to hear about the time her father shot a naughty crocodile. When Felicia died, she left many of her valued belongings to her daughter Jane, and one of these possessions happened to be the very special chocolate leather crocodile clutch bag…

And now I’m very excited to show you some snaps of Mummy Jane’s outfit to see a French film at the Alliance Francaise cineclub in Bristol, because look what she chose to carry her car keys and lipstick…

I am told that one day, the bag will be mine too. Cue the warm, fuzzy feelings and awe at the incredibleness of this amazing little bag. Thank you Grandmaaa x