Wakefield Museums and Castles

Elizabeth Moxon was a cookery writer from Pontefract. Her recipe book first came out in Leeds in 1741.

In her introduction, Elizabeth wrote that the book came from her own experience over 30 years. The first edition had over 400 recipes, and later versions had even more.

'English Housewifery' wasn’t just a recipe book. It was also a guide to managing food for a wealthy household. Moxon included advice on seasonal foods and menus for fancy parties. The book even had plans on how to lay the table in the latest fashion. 

Moxon’s publisher, James Lister, also owned the Leeds Mercury, an important Yorkshire newspaper. This meant people across Yorkshire heard about the book and had the opportunity to order it. In Pontefract people could buy it directly from the author. 

'English Housewifery' quickly became a success. The first edition sold so well a second edition was printed in 1743. By 1758 it was up to the eighth edition and there had been 16 by 1808. This copy is the twelfth edition from 1785, though we also have the second and thirteenth editions. 

Books were very expensive in the mid 1700s. Both the paper and the printing cost a lot of money. The publisher of 'English Housewifery' tried to keep the cost down by keeping the book small and using less paper. Although it sold very well, Elizabeth probably didn’t become rich from her work.