The first Easter Egg was made by Frys in Bristol in 1873, and was made of bitter dark chocolate with lots of marzipan decorations and piping. It would have been expensive and only available to the rich to give as a present. Cadbury’s in Birmingham launched their version 2 years later in 1875.

More common was a cardboard egg covered with satin and filled with easter presents and small chocolates, this is more likely to have been what Amelia would receive from her father and possibly her Aunt Cora. It was still a preserve of the middle and upper classes though. Easter was very much a celebration centred on the family so even Effie’s family would have had the chance to spend some time together and attend public celebrations to break the difficult time of going without in Lent.