annieb123's Review of Mrs Beeton and Mrs Marshall

by Emma Kay

The name Mrs Beeton has endured for well over a century, synonymous with all things reassuringly culinary, while her contemporary Agnes Bertha Marshall remains somewhat of an enigma.

Both Isabella Beeton and Agnes Bertha Marshall lived within a short distance of each other in Pinner, worked in London, wrote about, and shared a passion for food, all just a couple of decades apart.

While Isabella Beeton compiled one successful book of collected recipes, Agnes built a cookery empire, including a training school, the development of innovative kitchen equipment, a range of cooking ingredients, an employment agency and a successful weekly journal, as well as writing three incredibly popular recipe books.

Mrs Beeton and Mrs Marshall: A Tale Of Two Victorian Cooks intrudes on the private lives of both these women, whose careers eclipsed two very different halves of the Victorian era. While there are similarities between the two, their narratives explore class and background, highlight the social and economic contrasts of the nineteenth century, the ascension of the cookery industry in general and the burgeoning power of suffragism.

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Mrs Beeton and Mrs Marshall: A Tale of Two Victorian Cooks is a nonfiction history monograph/biography of Victorian/Edwardian cookery and two of its iconic giants, by historian Emma Kay. Due out 29th Feb 2024 from Pen & Sword, it's 216 pages and will be available in hardcover format.

This is an interesting deep-dive into the history of both titular persons and the ancillary figures in their lives. Although Mrs. Beeton is still a (relative) household name, Mrs. Marshall, at her time was equally well known, and the author does a very good job of rendering the minutiae both accessible and interesting.

The book's layout is straightforward. The first half covers the life and work of Agnes Marshall, the second half Isabella Beeton. They were very different people and from different backgrounds but lived and worked in the same general areas, separated by some decades.

The book is written in a layman accessible style and non-historians will find it easy to understand. The author has included copious notes and references throughout. It's also enhanced by the inclusion of numerous archival photos of antique kitchenalia and salient places to the story.

Five stars. It would be a superlative choice for public or school library acquisition, gift giving to fans of domestic history, kitchenalia, foodies, and biography lovers. Admittedly a niche book, but a very well written and readable one.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Reading updates

25 December, 2023: Started reading

25 December, 2023: Finished reading

25 December, 2023: Reviewed