My great-great-grandfather, James Thomas Ashworth (1849-1890) was a cigarmaker, who lived in Bermondsey. There’s no surviving photos of him, as far as I know, but what he has left behind him (other than umpteen descendants) is this lovely handmade miniature chest of drawers, which he crafted from cigar boxes as a gift for his wife, Elizabeth.
You can quite easily make one today – there’s lots for sale on craft website Etsy, and instructions on making your very own one can be found in the 1918 book Things to Make. But do you have as easy access to cigar boxes as a cigarmaker?
(Cameo role by Freyja the cat).
