The Table

Marshall, Mrs A B. The Table [a volume of a broken run of 74 issues]. [Marshall's School of Cookery] : London, 1895-1898. (320x220mm) burgundy dec cloth bds [888]pp.

MARSHALL, Mrs A. B. [Agnes Bertha née Smith (ca.1855-1905)]

[The Table: a weekly paper of cooking, gastronomy, food, amusements &c.¹]


London, 32 Mortimer St : The Table [Marshall's School of Cookery], 1895-1898. [Printed by H Vickers, London].

A volume of a broken run of 74 issues between Vol. xvii, No 456, 2 March 1895 and Vol. xxiv, No 619, 16 April 1998 (lacking some issues).  Each issue was 12 pages, (320x220mm) two column format newspaper printed with numerous engraved illustrations and advertisements.  Bound in decorated² burgundy cloth boards, grey endpapers, all edges red, boards covered in brown paper, sealed with sealing wax.  Owner name in ink "R Kemp, Chilfrome House, 1898" to the front free endpaper; neat ink notations to the margins in a few places; competition coupons neatly excised in  a few issues; several closed edge tears; one issue slightly mistrimmed.


The Table was published by Mrs Marshall and the Marshall School of Cookery between 1886 and 1918.  A weekly newspaper, it was issued every Friday for the early mail.  Each volume contained 312 pages, or 26 issues or half a year's subscription.  Originally 3d per issue, by 1895 issues were 1d and an annual post-free subscription was 6s, 6d.  Each issue had advertisements (many for the Marshall School of Cookery, Mrs Marshall's books and Mrs Marshall's various products and kitchen equipment) to the front and back pages followed by "Across the Table" a culinary gossip column; "Decorations" on table settings etc; a weekly essay on some aspect of cooking or food; reader's letters and contributions; "Recipes by Mrs A B Marshall", "Questions and Answers" to readers' letters; "Graphology" analysing reader's character by their handwritting; "Markets" listing the prices of fresh produce; "Competitions"and more advertisements.

Although early issues were mostly authored by Mrs Marshall, by 1895 contributors were paid a guinea a page for articles.

Mrs Marshall's achievements in late Victorian London society, business and hospitality were quite extraordinary.  An extremely successful business woman running one of only two cookery schools in London, and a highly successful kitchenware and providore business, she also wrote four best selling books, published this weekly newspaper, pioneered new technologies in ice and ice-cream manufacture and undertook national and international tours giving cooking demonstrations throughout the UK and in the USA. She also ran a placement agency for cookery staff  and a catering business often placing students in temporary and full-time positions.

Although Mrs Marshall quickly faded from the public consciousness after her death in 1905, her books remained in print into the 1930s and her husband continued with her various businesses, selling some and forming others into public companies.  The Cookery School continued under the direction of former pupils until World War II.  The Table continued to be published until 1918 when it was succeeded by Table and Housekeepers Journal.  The Table was integral to the success of Mrs Marshall's various businesses, promoting the Cooking School, her books, her providore business selling ingredients, many of which she was the sole UK agent (during this time she also purchased a baking powder company) and her patented kitchenware, pewter ice moulds, kitchen equipment etc on a weekly basis.

A fascinating insight into the culinary empire established by Mrs Marshall, indicating the various ways in which her businesses were cross-marketed to a loyal audience; but also an insight into middle-class culinary trends in Britain during the Late Victorian period and the development of the Edwardian table.

A scarce excellent collation of an ephemeral 'penny' cookery newspaper in Britain during the 1890s. 


§  OCLC records one holding of the run of the periodical, The British Library; no other holdings recorded.
§  Not recorded in the usual bibliographies.

¹  Title as recorded by the British Library
²  Winterbottom "CW" or Gaskell "Frond" design.