Whitbread Family Receipt Book

Manuscript Receipt Book containing culinary, medical, cosmetic, household and a few veterinary (e.g distemper in dogs, pp 185-188) receipts, in several different hands. Identified as belonging to the Whitbread family: note opposite p 260 mentions "my mother Harriet Whitbread", but it is not possible to further ascertain whether the owner of the volume was Harriot Whitbread, who married James Brebner-Gordon, or Emma Maria Elizabeth Whitbread, who married Henry St John, 13th Baron St John of Bletso.

Table of contents at the front of the volume, and another, in a fairer hand, towards the end, of recipes from p 54 onwards only. The latter in particular gives named sources, and numerous recipes throughout are ascribed to specific individuals.

The medical recipes include a number relating to pregnancy, labour, and miscarriage, and one "To make a woman conceive with child" (p 20). "Cataplasm Miss Whitbread" - this appears to be the transcript of a long letter from Sarah Holford [possibly Lady Hudson]. Several suggested treatments for gout.

Culinary recipes include "To bake Herrons", "To barbacute [sic] a pig", "To make a piloo", India/Indian Pickle, "A cheap currie powder"

A number of entries relate to gardening and arboriculture, and a few to poultrykeeping and diseases of sheep.

Several recommendations for getting rid of rats and mice.

About 100 blank pages between the recipes and the second table of contents. At end of book, part of Chapter 1 of the Book of Proverbs written out (verses 1-27 only)