The Polite Tourist - Death in a Chocolate Box

WHO or WHAT is Death in a Chocolate Box?

Inspired by true crime stories from the Victorian era and through the lives of ordinary people whose tales are woven into the rich fabric of an ancient city’s social history – Death in a Chocolate Box offers walking tours through the streets of York.

Meticulously researched and innovative – our tours are designed to offer an informative and unique walk with an experienced storyteller.

You can also discover a selection of thoughtful gifts in our on-line store, including our unique ‘Yorky Grit’.

From an ancient city of warring armies, restless ghosts, religious persecution, delicious chocolate, and infamous outlaws – ‘Yorky Grit’ is THE quintessential memento from York!

AND there is some rather attractive and sustainable gift wrap available too!

Are YOU Ready to Tuck In?

WALK with us through the snickelways and secret passageways of York awhile or WANDER into the macabre and twilight world of the Lady Brigante.

BROWSE the shelves of our emporium for the deliciously unusual or BECOME a fellow taphophile on our forum – Beneath Thy Feet.

WELCOME to Death in a Chocolate Box!

A Proud Member of Indie York!

Panel 1

As the Summer Solstice Beckons?

‘River is time in water,
As it came,
So still it flows,
Yet never is the same.’
~ Barten Holyday

As the Summer Solstice beckons – Death in a Chocolate Box presents a new walking tour – A Ramble By The River.

Through the stone arches of old bridges, well-worn steps and along the cobbles of a riverside path steeped in history AND heartache?

Why not come along and listen to the Lady Brigante one summer evening as she shares with you the tales of those ordinary folk including the tale of the disgraced bigamist, a young rivet heater, one desperate young mother and the tragedy of a quarrelsome soldier.

And ALL lost to history – until now!

Walk with us awhile every WEDNESDAY and THURSDAY throughout July and August from 7pm.

To the Box Office?

Panel 2

Death in a Chocolate Box Presents…

DEATH – noun.
The end of the life of a person.

CHOCOLATE BOX – adjective.
Pretty in a superficial way or a romanticized aesthetic.

A Coach Lamp in Precentor's Court York (June 2021)

Skeldergate Bridge York (September 2019)

The (Purported) Grave of Richard Dick Turpin St George's Churchyard York (November 2020)

Gazing Up at St Saviour's Parish Church in York

Gazing at a Grave in St Saviour's Parish Church in York

To the Merchant Adventurer's Hall in York

Along the River Foss to the Leetham Mill

John Snow Memorial North Street Gardens York

To the Parish Church of St Mary Bishophill

With the coming of dusk…

And with the door of an atelier closed for the day – it is possible to catch a glimpse of a celebrated miniaturist and storyteller clad in her distinctive black feline boots wandering through the snickelways and secret passages of York in a quest to wake the dead.

ORDINARY FOLK. EXTRAORDINARY DEATHS.

And for those of a curious and hardy temperament – why not come along and listen to the Lady Brigante as she shares with you the tales of the illustrious, the miscreants, artists, misfits and those ordinary folk who have ALL been lost to history – until now!

However, for those of a sensitive nature who are averse to real stories of tears, heartache and tragedy – a meander through the fascinating streets of York with Lady B may NOT be to your taste.

Walk with us awhile?

A Mourning Walk?

“As you start to walk out on the way, the way appears.”
Rumi

Would you like to enjoy a unique and private stroll far from the maddening crowds through the secret passages and old snickelways of the City of York including a wander along the riverside?

Why not take A Mourning Walk with the Lady Brigante one evening and learn of the long-forgotten dead?

And there will also be the opportunity to learn something of an ancient city’ most infamous ghosts along the walk.

Ticket cost from £55 per person.

Curious Much? Let’s Talk!

Subscribe to the brigante chronicles?

For all the gossip, and exciting discoveries about Lady B’s unique walks, the place of rendezvous AND ticket availability – subscribe to The Brigante Chronicles to bring forth EVERY snippet of chatter direct to your inbox!

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from the desk of the lady brigante…

Guest Post: Creepy Cat

Katherine Kerestman was visiting England to research her second macabre travel book. She had not known that she was fated to meet a new friend – THE Lady Brigante.

by The Polite Tourist

A Ramble By The River

Why not listen to the Lady B one summer evening and listen to the tales of the long-forgotten of York?

by The Polite Tourist

A Curious Death?

For those of a sensitive nature – a walk with the Lady B one Sunday evening may NOT be to your taste.

by The Polite Tourist

Rock the Cradle?

Pitiful and harsh! What can possibly be said about a life of ONLY five weeks?

by The Polite Tourist

#PoliteTourist #LadyBrigante #IndieYork

As those balmy evenings of summer beckon – Death in a Chocolate Box presents a new walking tour 'A Ramble By The River'.

WHO or WHAT is Death in a Chocolate Box?

The Walmgate area of York was considered to have the most notorious reputation during the Victorian era.

A Baby Doe. Even though this infant may have gone down in the annals of York's history with no identity to call his own - he is far from forgotten here at ChocBox HQ.

Good morning from the wonderful City of York AND what a beautiful morning it is!

If you are celebrating Easter this weekend - the team here at ChocBox HQ wish you and your loved ones a VERY Happy Easter.

If you are looking for something a 'little' different - why not bottle yourself some 'Yorky Grit'?

Yes! We know it is Easter Saturday BUT the only chocolate we can see here at ChocBox HQ is the word imprinted on our decorative ribbon as we add the finishing touches to one of our unique gift cards!

Panel 3

Ordinary People. Extraordinary Deaths.

‘We’re All Stories, in the End’
Steven Moffatt

What can POSSIBLY be told about a life of ONLY 5 weeks?

The death of little Sarah Ann Casper on Christmas Day in the year 1884 would shine a harsh and uncompromising light into the darkest crevices of York’s society as the pitiful story of this baby’s life unfolded…

Sarah Ann Casper

Pregnant and suffering from severe sickness, a young mother along with her husband and toddler son are living in a quiet area of York and one chilly February evening – things took a turn for the worse.

As a post mortem examination revealed that Mrs Byrne had died as a result of a brain haemorrhage caused by some kind of mysterious ingested poison – an inquest into her death was opened.

Florence Byrne

Panel 4

Peculiar to the City of York!

‘chosen’

On offer and measuring just under 3 cm is a miniature glass bottle of our unique ‘Yorky Grit’.

From the shelves of the Death in a Chocolate Box emporium and designed by the Lady Brigante – this is an exclusive hand-made miniature from the City of York.

‘Bottled’

With a pinch of sand and locally sourced Yorkshire grit, and dressed in our exclusive recycled label – this little bottle will add a peculiar and perfect finishing touch to your cabinet of curiosities.

And for those in search of a quirky and unusual souvenir from this ancient city of warring armies, restless ghosts, religious persecution, delicious chocolate, and infamous outlaws – our ‘Yorky Grit’ is a quintessential memento!

‘Curated’

Whatever your plans for this miniature – this unique bottle of ‘Yorky Grit’ will find its way to you nestled in a bed of shredded tissue paper and lovingly packaged inside an attractive natural kraft paper pillow pouch and beautifully finished with ribbon.