In 1895, a group of pranksters in Cheshire, England, perpetrated a hoax involving a giant wheel of cheese, claiming it was a gift to Queen Victoria. The story, which was widely reported in the press, turned out to be a fabrication, but it captured the public imagination and inspired humorous verse and satire about the British love of cheese.

The Great Cheese Hoax became the subject of numerous comic poems and ballads, showcasing the enduring connection between cheese and British humor. The incident inspired poets to explore themes of public credulity and the power of the press, and it remains a footnote in the history of cheese-related literature. The hoax demonstrated how cheese could serve as a catalyst for public amusement and poetic invention.