English culinary and medical recipe book, 18th century

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Collection of cookery and medical recipes transcribed by several members of the Sheldon family, of Weston, Warwickshire. There is no discernible arrangement, each recipe being recorded in turn as it was acquired. Some of the entries are written from the rear of the volume. There are various dated receipts ranging from 1748 to 1809, some of the later ones apparently obtained as a result of consultations with London physicians, but the earliest undated entries seem to be in a somewhat earlier hand.

Many sources and authorities are given, both lay and professional, including among the former Lady Fitzwilliam (ff.5v-7v), Sir John and Lady Lawson (ff.10, 15 and inside front cover), Lady Seymour (ff.16v-17 and inside rear cover), Lady Elizabeth Townsend (ff.25v, 27v, 48v, 49v), and Lady Marchmont (ff.28v, 50). Medical authorities include Dr Dover [?Thomas Dover MB, d.c.1742] (ff.11, 12v), Dr Smyth (ff.20v, 39, 41v, and loose enclosures 9 and 46), Dr Elliot, of Swansea (ff.23, 64v, 73v), Dr Paterson (f.23v, 32v), Dr Hugh Smith, of London [Hugh Smith MD, d.1790] (f.36), Dr Moseley, of London, [?Benjamin Moseley MD, d.1819] (ff.52v, 57, 63v), Dr Atkinson (f.53), Dr Ford, of London (f.57), and Dr Stack (f.65). A mid-century recipe for tincture of rhubarb (f.17) is ascribed to Mr Mister [Thomas Mister (1711-1780), surgeon-apothecary of Shipston-on-Stour]. One of the loose enclosures (no.34) is endorsed 'given to Mr Sheldon by the pedlar at Weston, Septr 1795'.

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English culinary and medical recipe book, 18th century

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