Item #9736 The Experienced English Housekeeper. Elizabeth Raffald.
The Experienced English Housekeeper
The Experienced English Housekeeper

The Experienced English Housekeeper

Preston, T Walker, 1806.
Second-hand hardcover

Raffald, Elizabeth. The Experienced English Housekeeper. Printed by J Wilson, London & sold by T Walker: Preston, 1806.




RAFFALD, Elizabeth [Whitaker, (1733 – 1781)]


The Experienced English Housekeeper, for the use and ease of Ladies, Housekeepers, Cooks, &c. written purely from practice; dedicated to the Hon. Lady Elizabeth Warburton, whom the author lately served as housekeeper. Consisting of several hundred original recipts, most of which never appeared in print. Part I, Lemon Pickle, Browning for all sorts of made dishes, soups, fish, plain meat, game, made dishes, both hot and cold, pies, puddings, &c.  Part II, all kinds of confectionery, particularly the gold and silver web for covering of sweetmeats, and a dessert of spun sugar; with directions to set out a table in the most elegant manner, and in the modern taste, floating islands, fish ponds, transparent puddings, trifles, whip, &c.  Part III, pickling, potting and collaring, wines, vinegars, catchups, distilling; with two most valuable receipts, one for refining malt liquors, the other for curing acid wines; and a correct list of every thing in season for every month of the year. A New Edition. In which are inserted some celebrated receipts by other modern authors.


London: J Wilson, and sold by T Walker, Bookseller, Preston, [ca.1795-1800].  An unrecorded and probably unauthorised edition.


Duodecimo (175x105mm) contemporary tan full calf polished boards, re-backed calf spine, gilt lettered and ruled, seven ruled compartments; light blue laid paper; No illustration or plates (apparently as issued), 192pp.  Boards and corners a trifle rubbed and bruised.  Front free-end paper inscribed by previous owners, in various hands "Marg Willis 1800" "London on Warnford (?)" "M E Purchas Flanders Hall".  Armorial Bookplate of the Chapman-Purchas family to front paste-down. Faint occasional foxing; a few neat ink marginal notes & marks; small chip to p.33 fore-edge.


Flanders Hall is an 18th century Grade II listed Georgian country house in the picturesque village of West Burton, North Yorkshire in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Built by the Purchas (later Chapman-Purchas) family between 1767 and 1780, and held by the family until 1920, Flanders Hall is now a private hotel. Marg(aret) Willis married William Purchas the Younger in 1808.


The author, Elizabeth Raffald was an extraordinary woman for her time, in addition to writing this best selling book, establishing Manchester’s newspaper, first post office, first street directories,  two inns, a servant’s placement agency, a cookery school, a pastry cooks’ shop, and a pleasure garden, she allegedly had some 15 or 16 children in as many years (she died when 48).  First published in 1769, this was an extremely popular, and much pirated work. Its popularity can be attributed to its simplicity and clarity, a style akin to the next generation’s Eliza Acton.  Many preserving and still-room recipes are included.


§ This edition is not recorded in the usual bibliographies. Cf Maclean pp.121-124, Oxford p.98, Simon 1249, Vicaire p.727, Cagle 944-953, Bitting p.387, Axford p.140, Hazlitt p.176, Pennell p.161 and  Aylett & Ordish’s First Catch Your Hare at p.130.  Likely an unauthorised local edition (Preston was only 70 miles from Flanders Hall) particularly as there is no facsimile signature and no illustration.  BBTI records T Walker as bookseller in Preston, Lancashire between 1780 and 1800.


§ This edition not in OCLC

Item #9736

Price: $795.00 AUD