Ever wondered why you've got all that Turkey in your stomach right now?
Turkeys were introduced to the UK by Yorkshireman William Strickland in 1526, after he was given six birds from American Indian traders on his travels.
King Henry VIII became the first English king to feast on turkey but it was King Edward VII who popularised turkey consumption in the 19th century.One of the first written mentions of turkey forming a key part of a Christmas feast was in a 16th century poem which describes Christmas dinner in England as: ‘Beefe, mutton, and porke, shred pies of the best, pig, veal, goose and capon, and turkey well drest”, along with cheese, apples, nuts and ‘good drink.
Turkey became widely available in the 1950s, quickly cementing itself as a Christmas Day staple in the UK. Prior to the relatively modern tradition to eat turkey at Christmas, festive feasts would have featured roast swan, pheasants and even peacocks instead.
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