Bottle
Date
1906
Materials
Glass, Paper
Measurements
22 cm (Height)
Order this imageCollection
Knole, Kent
NT 131998
Caption
In 2017, archaeology volunteers at Knole in Kent spotted the shape of a bottle in the dust beneath the floorboards. Carefully brought to the surface with the aid of a vacuum cleaner, it was found to be a Perrier bottle containing a rolled-up piece of embossed Knole paper. A handwritten note on the paper read: ‘Sept 26th 1906. This bottle was dropted here in the year AD 1906 by S.G. Doggett when these Radiators were put in, also the Hot Water Service.’ The name matched some graffiti found in a nearby room and, through the Knole Oral History database, the team identified the author as Sidney George Doggett (1884–1967). Doggett was born at Knole and was the estate carpenter there for 62 years. When news of the discovery was made public, members of his family visited Knole to share memories and later generously donated his original toolbox to the Trust, complete with over 100 tools (NT 131699). This small floorboard find gives a wonderful insight into the layers of history at Knole, and the stories of those who have lived and worked there.
Summary
Green glass Perrier bottle containing rolled up piece of paper with written note. Bottle is teardrop shaped with circular base and long neck with open end. Lower paper label around lower middle of bottle is white with red ink and reads " By appointment / To / H.M. King Edward VII ". The upper label is cream in colour with green highlighting and reads " Gaz Naturel / Source / Perrier / Eau de Table Naturelle ". Paper note, written in black ink, rolled up and placed in the neck of the bottle. The note was written by Sid Doggett, a carpenter and joiner working at Knole. It reads " Sept. 26th 1906. This bottle was dropted [sic] here in the year AD 1906 by S.G. Doggett when these Radiators were put in, also the Hot Water service ".