The Edwardian era or Edwardian period of British history spanned the reign of King Edward VII, 1901 to 1910 and is sometimes extended to the start of the First World War. The death of Queen Victoria in January 1901 marked the end of the Victorian era. Her son and successor, Edward VII, was already the leader of a fashionable elite that set a style influenced by the art and fashions of continental Europe. Samuel Hynes described the Edwardian era as a “leisurely time when women wore picture hats and did not vote, when the rich were not ashamed to live conspicuously, and the sun really never set on the British flag.”
The Liberals returned to power in 1906 and made significant reforms. Below the upper class, the era was marked by significant shifts in politics among sections of society that had largely been excluded from power, such as labourers, servants, and the industrial working class. Women started to play more of a role in politics.
The Edwardian era was the last period of British history to be named after the reigning monarch. The subsequent reigns of George V and George VI are not commonly termed Georgian era, this name being reserved for the time of the 18th-century kings of that name. Similarly, Elizabethan era refers solely to the 16th-century queen Elizabeth I and was not extended to the reign of Elizabeth II.
Books
This is a practical work on poultry breeding and feeding, by William Cook.
It is specially adapted for cottagers, or those having limited space for keeping poultry, and the author has been successful in his endeavour to give plain and practical information, which will be of use to the amateur poultry breeder, and enable him to make it a profitable pursuit. The most suitable class of houses, the best system of feeding, breeding, and rearing, and the diseases of poultry, are all dealt with in detail.
Advice is given by following which the uninitiated in these matters may select the best pure breeds for crossing. The best poultry for egg-producing and table purposes are indicated, the object of the author being to bring out the useful and profitable qualities of fowls, rather than the points requisite for carrying off prizes at exhibitions. When it is considered that about 750 millions of eggs are annually imported into this country, chiefly from France, poultry breeding becomes a question of much importance, to which greater attention should be paid, and those engaged in it will find themselves greatly assisted by a perusal of this little work.
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William Cook and the Orpington Chicken
History
William Cook was born in St. Neots, Huntingdon, England in 1849. He developed an interest in poultry while spending time on a neighbour’s farm. The year was 1863 and he was age fourteen. He was working as a Coachman in Chislehurst, Kent, and little did he know that he would soon become the founding father of Orpington Poultry.
Later in life, around 1886, he and his wife, Jane, were known to be breeding chickens at Tower House, Orpington, Kent. It was at this time in 1886 that William developed the first Orpington. It was black in color and came in two varieties, single comb and rose comb. He entered these Black Orpingtons in area shows with favourable results.
William Cook was, in fact, so successful that he published The Poultry Journal, sold a poultry keepers account book, studied poultry diseases, sold medicines, poultry food, fattening powder, and traveled the countryside presenting lectures.
By 1888, the Orpington was given it’s own classification. Sometime, between the years of 1887 and 1894, he introduced the White Orpington and also the Buff Orpington. Records show that the Buff Orpington was first exhibited at the 1894 Dairy Show.
In 1890, the family, which consisted of, William, Jane, three sons and two daughters, moved to Walden’s Manor which they later renamed Orpington House. His business, named, William Cook and Sons, grew and he opened a London Office at Queens Yard 105 Borough London, SE. His oldest child, Elizabeth Jane, was operating the farm at this time. Her brothers and sister also worked on the farm and Elizabeth Jane became very talented in poultry farming. It is understood that Orpington House, at some time later, became the presbytery of Holy Innocents R C Church in Sevenoaks Road.
The Jubilee Orpington was introduced in 1897. Its name was derived from the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria.
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Originally published in 1915, this is a practical household guide written `for housewives by housewives’. This book is absolutely packed with advice and hints that will still be of much practical use today. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Vintage Cookery Books are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork. Contents Include Soups Fish Dinner Dishes Vegetable Cookery Pastry and Puddings Sweets and Creams Savouries Breakfast Dishes Cold Meat Cookery Invalid Cookery Cakes and Candies Sauces, Pickles, and Preserves Beverages Cookery Crumbs Bread, Buns, and Tea-Cakes Notes for The Home Doctor Care of Clothes Household Hints and Helps for the Housewife Nursery Notes Toilet Hints What a Housewife Ought to know
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Edwardian Farm, how will we cope without you?
I’m sad to see Peter, Alex and Ruth leave Morwellham Quay after 12 blissful programmes unbesmirched by modern TV conventions
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2011/jan/20/edwardian-farm
People
Alex Langlands
Langlands has degrees in medieval archaeology and world archaeology from University College London. He has also worked in commercial archaeology before going on to complete his MPhil/PhD in early medieval history and archaeology at the University of Winchester in 2013.
https://alexlanglands.wordpress.com/
Peter Ginn
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/1ksq9SFM6C6FD92HxSGbRDn/peter-ginn
Peter Ginn is a trained archaeologist and historian who studied with fellow presenter Alex Langlands at the Institute of Archaeology, University College London.
He has been involved in a great deal of experimental archaeology. His research interests include Egyptology, field archaeology and primitive technologies, and he specialises in 19th-century farming practice.
The biggest challenge faced by farmers during the Second World War was feeding the nation.Peter Ginn
Peter has been involved in several of the BBC’s historical documentary series of recent years, including Tales from the Green Valley, A Tudor Feast At Christmas, Victorian Farm, Edwardian Farm and Victorian Farm Christmas.
