Cadbury memorabilia: Huge private collection displayed

Thousands of items of Cadbury memorabilia have gone on display after a huge private collection was donated to the company.

Gill Cocks, from Gloucestershire, has been collecting since the 1970s and gathered over 5,000 pieces.

An exhibition featuring a replica of Mrs Cocks' living room - until recently the home of the collection - has now opened at Cadbury World in Birmingham.

Mrs Cocks said she was "absolutely delighted" to see it on display.

About 2,000 items are on display - some of which date back to the 1800s - with 400 in the living room and others displayed in 10 cabinets.

The Gill Cocks Collection includes Richard Tapper Cadbury's Bible from the 1800s, traditional wooden chocolate boxes and framed advertisements dating back to the 1890s.

There are also vintage Cadbury mugs, biscuit tins, jigsaws and drinking chocolate tins.

Mrs Cocks, from Winchcombe, decided to donate the collection last year.

She said: "I'm absolutely delighted, it was exactly the right decision to give it away and it's wonderful now to see it here - and I don't have to dust it anymore."

Sarah Foden, Cadbury archivist at Mondelēz International, said it was the "most impressive collection I have ever come across".

"We are so thrilled to have it here and be able to display it to the public."

The Cadbury Foundation donated £5,000 to Mrs Cocks' chosen charity as a gesture of thanks for the items.

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