marmalade [LME] Oranges were not the original fruit in marmalade. Early marmalade was a solid quince jelly that was cut into squares for eating similar to the Spanish membrillo. In 1524 King Henry VIII was given ‘a box of marmalade’. The word is recorded in English in the late 15th century, and comes from Portuguese marmelada ‘quince jam’. The story that marmalade was originally made for Mary Queen of Scots when she was ill and comes from marie malade ‘ill Mary’ has no foundation. The Scots are, however, generally credited with inventing the kind of marmalade we are familiar with, and the first marmalade factory was built in Dundee in 1797, by the Keiller family.