About this Event
The Friends of West Norwood Cemetery is a charity dedicated to the care and preservation of this extraordinary cemetery for future generations. Join member Andrea Woodside on a captivating journey through the flavourful past of Victorian food and drink and delve into the extraordinary tales behind the culinary icons that shaped an era.
Highlights include Mrs. Beeton, whose legendary Book of Household Management was the essential guide in every Victorian kitchen, offering not just recipes but weekly menu planners to keep families well-fed and happy. Meet Sir Henry Tate, the sugar magnate who sweetened the nation, and be inspired by the story of Eliza James, the unstoppable "Watercress Queen," who turned a humble green into a staple of the Victorian kitchen.
Discover who revolutionised food distribution in London, designing beautiful markets like Smithfield, Billingsgate, and Leadenhall that fed the growing metropolis. Learn about the inventive mind behind railway catering—praised by none other than Charles Dickens—who made train travel more popular by ensuring passengers could enjoy good food on the go. And uncover how a Mediterranean catastrophe paved the way for the UK to become a global trading hub.
Finally, we will meet the inventor of Bovil, the Father of Custard Creams, and the world’s most famous mustard makers.
This isn't just history—it's a feast for the imagination. Join us and taste the past like never before!
Please meet by the main archway for a prompt start at 11am. Some of the ground we will be walking over is very uneven so please wear suitable walking shoes.
How to get here:
West Norwood Cemetery and Crematorium SE27 9JU is next to St Luke's Church and West Norwood Library
Buses: 2, 68, 196, 315, 322, 432 and 468 (several of these routes go via Brixton Tube Station: 2, 196, 322, 432). Robson Road stop
Train: West Norwood Station (trains to and from London Bridge/Victoria)
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
West Norwood Cemetery, Norwood Road, London, United Kingdom
GBP 0.00