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The (Not So) Modern Housewife's Book

10/7/2012

5 Comments

 
I recently discovered this old book that belonged to my Great Grandmother. The Modern Housewife's Book is a wonderful depiction of life in the 1930s, full of recipes, cleaning tips and all the information a woman would need to run a household.
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I particularly like the colour illustrations with their bright hues and luminous looking food. The jam making instructions illustrate how to set up a strainer over a mixing bowl using a walking stick and two chairs - nothing like a bit of creative innovation!
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The vintage adverts also add to the sense of time and give a flavour of the economic and social context - you could "Live cheaper and better" with Borwick's Baking Powder and Oxo was "the Housewife's Great Economy".
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These pictures only touch on the wealth of interesting information contained within the book. I'm afraid this is one vintage item that won't be turning up at our market stall - I'll treasure it for years to come.

However, if you are inspired by the modern housewife's look, we've got plenty of vintage kitchenalia - traditional mixing bowls, pudding basins, jelly moulds and even this Icing Set, very similar to one shown in the book. 
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I hope you've enjoyed these pictures as much as I have sharing them. If you ever find a copy of the book, I would fully recommend it!
5 Comments
Dorothy Morgan link
27/3/2013 07:48:26 am

My mother died 5 years ago, aged 90 - born in 1919. I found this book (Modern Housewife's Book) when I cleared her house, but I do not remember seeing it before - she used to go to jumble sales and charity shops and it may have come from there. She would have been too young to use it in the 30's unless it was her mother's book.
Anyway I decided to look it up today, to try and date it - and came accross your website,
I also have a small tin full of recipes cut out of a newspaper during the war.

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Sophie from Retrovert
5/4/2013 02:40:49 am

She sounds like a woman after my own heart - visiting jumble sales and using old cook books. I am pretty sure it is thirties or even earlier. If you look at the illustrations the hairstyles are classic of the era.

Your tin of old recipes sound like a treasure. I just inherited a hand written book of recipes by my great great aunt and I love the feeling of connection this creates.

Thanks for visiting! Sophie

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Hayley
16/1/2014 08:15:29 am

I have this book, my grandad bought it for me from a charity shop and I love it. It has absolutely everything in it! I'm currently knitting a short-sleeved jumper from it. But I can't find a date anywhere, I'm pretty sure it's from around 1937 but do you have any idea?

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jackie harding
11/2/2014 11:15:04 am

I have a much loved copy of this book, inherited from my grandmother. It was her mothers book and the date 1937 is written inside. I have known the book all my life and will never tire of it!!

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Marc Howes
6/3/2014 04:41:47 am

I Googled 'The Modern Housewife's Book' as I have one from my Nana and I came across your cool site. What I realised was that my Nana; who could do much of what is in the book, had an amazing and diverse skill set! The 'Aunite Kate's Handy Tips' is a collection of the most varied helpful instructions I've ever seen! The only thing missing was brain surgery! Or did I miss that?

Anyway, thanks for brightening up my day with your website! Keep up the good work! - Marc

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