02/09/2026
Septembers Object of the Month: The Mulberry S***f Box 🎭
This box was carved from a piece of the Mulberry Tree planted by the hand of Shakespeare at Stratford on Avon.
Like much of Smallhythe Place’s collection, this s***f box has a theatrical history. Apparently carved from Shakespeare’s mulberry tree, it belonged to the actor David Garrick and to Phyllis Neilson-Terry who gave it to Smallhythe.
Phyllis was Ellen Terry’s niece and was a well-known actress in her own right. Born in 1892 to actor Fred Terry and actress Julia Neilson, she began acting in her parents’ productions at the age of 17. She built a significant career and appeared in a wide range of productions including modern plays, cabaret, pantomime, and many Shakesperean productions including Romeo and Juliet, Twelfth Night and Othello. She also toured America and South Africa and has several film and television credits to her name, from her first film role in 1915 to her final credit in 1960.
In the collection at Smallhythe there are several photographs of Phyllis with her aunt in the garden, as well as objects which she donated to Smallhythe like this s***f box.
