Tom Smith's Christmas crackers - Peter Kimpton

For over 150 years, crackers have been a traditional part of Christmas festivities in the UK, but who was the creator of this wonderful innovation? Little is known about Tom Smith, confectioner and cracker creator, but Peter Kimpton draws on a wealth of archive material to relate the story of Tom Smith and the Christmas Cracker. From humble beginnings as a confectioner, Tom Smith created a highly successful company through the manufacture of crackers. The history of the company is richly illustrated by contemporary trade catalogs and company artwork. Today, the Tom Smith Group is proud to be the official supplier of Christmas crackers to the Royal Household, a tradition long held since the beginning of the 20th century.