Call Number:

Ms. Codex 2142

Repository:

University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts

Extent:

1 volume (160 pages)

Language:

English

Preferred Citation:

Recipe book, circa 1815-1831, Ms. Codex 2142, Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, University of Pennsylvania

Date:

circa 1815-1831 (inclusive)

Abstract:

This volume contains 144 culinary, household, and medicinal recipes created or compiled approximately between 1815 and 1831 in England. Before the recipes in this volume is a copy of William Fleetwood Varley's, A few observations on art with notices relative to the various exhibitions, repositories of art, etc. William Fleetwood Varley (1785-1856) was a British artist and art instructor.

William Fleetwood Varley (1784-1856) was a British artist and art instructor. He was first taught by his brother, John Varley, and began to exhibit his work at the Royal Academy in 1804. By around 1810, he was teaching art in Cornwall. He later taught at Bath and Oxford. He was severely injured in a fire caused by students at Oxford around or after 1825, at which time it is believed his career ended. During his career, he exhibited 21 landscapes at the Royal Academy between 1804 and 1818 and authored two written works on art, A few observations on art, with notices relative to the various exhibitions, repositories of art, &c. &c. (1816) and Observations on Colouring and Sketching from Nature (1820).

Colonel Thomas Fiott de Havilland (1775-1866) was a British Army officer, engineer in the Madras Presidency, and justice and member of the legislature of Guernsey. The Sausmarez family was prominent in Guernsey from the twelfth century through the twentieth century. There are numerous mentions of an A. Espinasson in leadership roles of various Guernsey organizations contemporary with this volume, including the Royal Agricultural and Horticultural Society of Guernsey and the Guernsey Society of Natural Science and Local Research.

Sources:

Stephen, Leslie. Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900. Vol. 58, Macmillan, 1899, p. 153.

"William Fleetwood Varley (1785-1858) - Watercolour, a Mediterranean Landscape." Sulis Fine Art, www.sulisfineart.com/william-fleetwood-varley-1785-1858-watercolour-a-mediterranean-landscape-kj038.html#:~:text=Artist%20Biography,different%20aspects%20of%20John's%20style. Accessed 26 Sept. 2023.

This volume contains 144 culinary, household, and medicinal recipes created or compiled approximately between 1815 and 1831 in England. The volume is bound in quarter leather and has a pocket on the front pastedown containing a clipping about what to put in flower vases in the winter and recipes for lemonade and lemon cheesecake. The creator provided original pagination for a small portion of the volume (p. 1-14), the remainder of the pagination was supplied by the cataloger (p. i-xxi, 15-160).

Before the recipes in this volume is a copy of William Fleetwood Varley's "A few observations on art with notices relative to the various exhibitions, repositories of art, &c. &c." (p. i-xxi). This was originally published in 1816, so it is unclear if this was written by Varley himself in advance of publication or a copy that was added to the front of the volume at a later date than the early recipes.

Several of this volume's recipes are written in French (p. 20, 43, 45-48, 86-89, and 143).

There are several likely connections to the island of Guernsey in this volume, including Colonel de Havilland (p. 49), Sausmarez (p. 43), Espinasson (p. 47), Guernsey Hearts (p. 59), John Mansell (p.120), Guille (p. 145), Frederick Price (p. 149).

Some of the recipes are attributed to various individuals, including Dr. Bishop (p. 3), Miss Guille (p. 40, 145, and 159), Mr. Sausmarez (p. 43), Monsieur Espinasson (p. 47), Colonel de Havilland (p. 49), Aunt John (p. 51), Mrs. Barlow (p. 52), Mrs. Brett (p. 60), Reverend W. Heath (p. 74), Elizabeth Ellery (p. 77), Count Rumford (p. 100), Mrs. John Mansell (p. 120), Captain Appleton (p. 28 and 132), Mrs. Luckraft (p. 136), and Mrs. Frederick Price (p. 149).

There is additionally a recipe from the creator's "journey through Norway, Sweden, and Denmark" (p. 102-103) and advice for Cholera Morbus by Henry Hatford in the 20 October 1831 edition of the London Gazette.

Examples of recipes include elixir for a toothache (p. 2), pig's face cheese (p. 8), vespatro (p. 18), Marmelade de Pompom (p. 43), Salmi (p. 45), Guernsey hearts (p. 59), Mock Turtle Soup (p. 60), spiced round of beef (p. 74), beignets de pomme (p. 88-89), Napoleon's pectoral pills (p. 91), stationery wood block (p. 114), for purifying the blood (p. 136), and to preserve furs and woolens from moths (p. 148).