Rare Books And Art: Mrs Beeton: The Book of Household Management

"Mrs Isabella Mary Beeton (1836 - 1865)

She was universally known as Mrs Beeton, was the English author of Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management, and is commonly known as one of the first and best cookery writers, with her Book of Household Management first published in 1861.

Isabella was born at 24 Milk Street, Cheapside, London, England. Isabella was sent to school in Heidelberg, Germany, for two years where she became an accomplished pianist and afterwards returned to Epsom. With her four step-siblings, she had 20 siblings, a huge family even for the Victorian times. Being the oldest, this is where she honed her abilities in babysitting and general household management, which gave her the experience and confidence to write her famous book.

The day after the birth of her fourth child, in January 1865, Isabella caught puerperal fever. She died a week later, aged 28."

If you are a fan or are studying the Victorian life-style, this book is a must have!

It is filled with amazingly detailed recipes, advise on food storage, household management, instructions for the Maids and Valet, including legal advice, how to entertain, menu plans adjusted according to amount of guests, etc., etc.,

*** Text on Title Page***

The Book

Household Management;

Comprising information for the

- Mistress.
- Housekeeper.
- Cook.
- Kitchen-Maid.
- Butler.
- Footman.
- Coachman.
- Valet.
- Upper and Under Housemaids.
- Lady's-Maid.
- Maid-of-All-Work.
- Laundry-Maid.
- Nurse and Nurse-Maid.
- Monthly, Wet, and Sick Nurses,
Etc., etc.,

Also Sanitary, Medical and Legal Memoranda.

With a History of the Origin, Properties, and Uses of All Things connected with Home Life and Comfort.

By Mrs. Isabella Beeton.

Entirely New Edition, Revised and Corrected,

With new coloured engravings.

Two hundred and fifty-third thousand

London:

WARD, LOCK, AND TYLER,

Warwick House, Paternoster Row.

*** End of Title-page***

NOTE TO THE NEW EDITION.

In this New Edition, I have strive, with feminine aid of the most valuable kind, to make a few improvements upon the original model of this work, and I have infused some new and modern information which, seven years ago, did not exist. The arrangement of the first edition was so well conceived that it admiteed of scarcely any reform; practical, that only the slightest alterations and corrections were needed, except such as Time had rendered necessary.

S.O.Beeton.*

Warwick House, Paternoster Row, 1869

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*S.O.Beeton:

Isabella's husband, Samuel Orchart Beeton. He was a publisher and he was the publisher of her book.

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Click on any of the images for full size photograph of the book.