What's in the bottles?

Uncovering an Edwardian outing to Epping Forest on 4th July 1910

Epping Forest has been a popular site with Londoners and others from South East England for generations. In summer the ancient forest bursts with life as thousands of people take to meandering its grassy plains and woodland walks. Sounds of laughter, games, and singing frequently rang out as evidence of happy memories being formed. Wild roses and honeysuckle wafted beautiful scents across the forest.

There are precisely three known photographs of a group outing to Epping Forest on the 4th of July 1910. Presumably taken by American Latter-day Saint missionary Lester Robbins, two of the photographs capture a large group scene with men dressed in suits wearing derby and boater hats. Most of the women, meanwhile, are wearing dresses and sporting giant hats adorned with beautiful plumes. The formally dressed group pose and two photographs were taken in quick succession. The third image, meanwhile, is of men and women posing during a donkey ride. Many of the men, all of whom are unidentified, were holding or drinking from glass bottles. But what was in these bottles? Join me on a journey as we discover who these people are, what happened during their trip on the 4th of July 1910, and what might be in the bottles.