Official Coronation issue.
Engraved on reverse with 'Presented To G. Tschumi By H.M King Edward VII'.
Housed in fitted case of issue.
Gabriel Tschumi was born in about 1883, in Moudon, Switzerland, where his father, a professor of languages, killed in an accident only three days after his birth. At the age of 16 in 1899, he was appointed an apprentice in the kitchens of the Royal Household through the good offices of his cousin, Miss Louise Tschumi, one of Queen Victoria’s Dressers. Working under the watchful eye of the famous French Royal Chef M. Menager. His first trip overseas came with King Edward VII in 1901 to Flushing for the funeral of the Empress of Germany and then on the convalescence voyage around the British Isles on the Victoria and Albert.
He was successively promoted 2nd Assistant Cook in 1905, Assistant Cook in 1906 and 6th Chief Cook in 1911, when he travelled to India aboard the Medina as the Senior Chef for the Coronation Durbars. Tschumi was also called upon to travel with the King to France in October 1915, when he set up in the Chateau de la Jusnelle near Aire for visits to the Western Front. A staff of eight travelled, with just two cooks to provide the required refreshments during the visit. Tschumi was promoted 5th Chief Cook 1918-19. When he received his Long and Faithful Service Medal in 1930, he was 3rd Chef. Members of the Royal family apparently insisted on calling him ‘Chummy’.
Tschumi retired on 1 July 1932, then working for the Duke of Portland at Welbeck Abbey, as Chef from 1 July 1933. Here, he and his wife had pleasant quarters; Mrs Tschumi’s father had been Head Keeper at Windsor Great Park under Queen Victoria, and had completed almost 50 years’ service. He stayed with the Duke of Portland until the Duke’s death in 1943, but he still helped the new Duke and Duchess, and the Dowager Duchess, for 5 or 6 months of each year. In August 1946 he was asked to assist for six weeks at Sandringham in Queen Mary’s Household; and in October 1947 he was invited to become Chef to Queen Mary at Marlborough House, which he did formally from January 1948 until October 1952, when he retired from ill health. He went to live in Wimbledon and wrote his memoirs in 1954. Gabriel ‘Chummy’ Tschumi died on 27 April 1957.