[ Cookery; Menus; Manuscript] Book of Daily Menus [for Duke of Newcastle's residence]

Green half-leather, worn, one menu per day per page for most days between 22 Sept.1882 and 6 Jan. 1884. A bookplate is the only clue to the family the volume belonged to, the coat of arms and motto ("Loyaulté n a honte") of the Dukes of Newcastle-under-Lyme, specifically at this time (1880s) Henry Pelham-Clinton, 7th Duke of Newcastle-under-Lyne (1864-1928) whose family seat was Clumber House, nr. Worksop, Notts (restored after a fire in 1879; presumably the home of this volume). The menus are usually written on a basic template of printed headings (on alternate pages, rectos) as follows: DINING ROOM [Potages \ Poissons | Entrées | Relevés | Rôts | Légumes | Entremets | Relevés] | LUNCHEON | SERVANTS HALL | BREAKFAST. Many of the blank versos have full or specific, special menus (e.g. "Diner de M. Forbes" and others - circa eight), but as the book is used up the blanks get fully used in date sequence, thiough several are a day out of sequence (MS.17th preceding template 16th). Dishes are usually expressed in French (exceptions being Scotch Broth, Plum Pudding & Brandy and Mince Pies for Christmas). Breakfast is detailed the least. The heading is usually "Menu de [22 September etc]", "Breakfast" only occasionally filled in, frequent pencilled additions and changes. Only the stub survives of the page for 26 Février 1883. Most of the text is in the same hand, Chef, Butler (?) and the menu for the day was presumably displayed.…