How we equip and use our kitchen has changed irrevocably over the centuries, the twentieth century has seen far-reaching technological and social changes making their mark; the kitchen fire, for many a century the focal point of the house, has given way to electricity and gas. David J. Eveleigh looks at the kitchen that centered on the open hearth or range and surveys the equipment used for storing and preserving, preparing, boiling, roasting and baking food. This is an intriguing topic, shedding light on how the routine of our lives can be influenced by new inventions and on how we are...

The Victorian farmer occupied a pivotal role in rural society, paying rents to the landowner and providing employment for the labourer. This book explores the world of the farmer during Queen Victoria's reign, which was a period of considerable change on the farm as the forces of industrialisation made themselves felt. Using contemporary observations, illustrations and museum collections, David J. Eveleigh looks at the working farmer and everyday life in the farmhouse - the furnishings and household tasks. The picture which emerges is more complex and more fascinating than the romantic images...