Wakefield Museums and Castles

A very old copy of English Housewifery open on the front page

Elizabeth Moxon

Pontefract’s Elizabeth Moxon was a pioneer in English cookery writing. Her recipe book 'English Housewifery' paved the way for other famous cook books of the period. It featured over 450 recipes for cooks in middle class Georgian households. The book was very popular among the wealthy new families in Pontefract. 

Moxon drew on her lifetime of experience to create her classic Yorkshire recipes. We think she was about 50 when her book was first published. 

Find out more

A very old copy of English Housewifery open on the front page, missing its front cover

'English Housewifery', Elizabeth Moxon, 1785

Take a look inside Elizabeth Moxon’s bestselling Yorkshire cookery book.
A small, tulip-shaped glass

Jelly glass, late 1700s

Find out about the sweet and savoury delicacies served in this Georgian glassware.
A small, thin, shallow metal scooping utensil

Marrow scoop, late 1700s

Discover how this unusual Georgian utensil was used. Find out about one of Elizabeth Moxon’s key ingredients.
A shallow dish with a border of rice, bright green pea soup liquid and diamond shaped croutons

Elizabeth Moxon's green pea soup recipe

Follow Elizabeth Moxon’s recipe and try your hand at cooking up a Georgian treat.

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