Lady Fanshawe's Receipt Book: An Englishwoman’s Life During the Civil War

by Lucy Moore

In the mid seventeenth century, England was divided by war and bloodshed. Torn apart by rival factions, father opposed son and brother met brother on the battlefield. But while civil war raged on cobbled streets and green fields, inside the home domestic life continued as it always had done. For Ann Fanshawe and her children it meant a life of insecurity and constant jeopardy as she and her husband, a Royalist diplomat, dedicated their lives to the restoration of the Stuart monarchy.

In this uncertain world, Ann's 'receipt book' was a treasured and entirely feminine response to the upheavals of war. These books were a feature of women's lives during this period, when there were few doctors to be found, and were full of life-saving medical knowledge that had been gleaned from mothers and friends. Remarkably, Ann's morocco-bound book full of scraps of ink-stained paper has survived to this day.

Using Ann's receipt book and the memoirs she wrote for her surviving son, Lucy Moore follows her through this turbulent time as she leaves home, marries, bears - and buries - children and seeks to hold her family together. Lady Fanshawe's Receipt Book brilliantly brings to life Ann's struggles and her joys, revealing how ordinary women across the country fought to protect their loved ones in the face of conflict.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Womens, Biography

432 pages, Paperback

First published November 2, 2017

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Lucy Moore was born in 1970 and educated in Britain and the United States before reading history at Edinburgh University. She is the editor of Con Men and Cutpurses: Scenes from the Hogarthian Underworld, and author of the critically acclaimed The Thieves Opera: The Remarkable Lives and Deaths of Jonathan Wild, Thief-Taker, and Jack Sheppard, House-Breaker (Viking 1996) as well as Amphibious Thing: the Life of a Georgian Rake (Viking 2000) and Maharanis: The Lives and Times of Three Generations of Indian Princesses (Viking 2004). Maharanis has been reprinted six times, was an Evening Standard bestseller, and the top selling non-fiction title in WH Smith on paperback publication in summer 2005.

Lucy is a regular book reviewer for the Observer and the Sunday Times. In April 2001, she was voted one of the 'Top Twenty Young Writers in Britain' by the Independent on Sunday and in the 'Writers' section of the New Statesman's 'Best of Young British' issue.

Television presenter work includes Nelson for Great Britons (BBC) and Kings in Waiting: Edward VII (BBC) plus a number of talking head appearances.

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful mix of family history, political and social revolution and herbal remedies. Describes how one woman struggles to keep her family together through the English Civil War, the Interregnum and the Restoration of the monarchy. Gives a detailed and empathetic description of the period and worth reading and rereading if you have an interest in the Stuart era.

[Elizabeth John · Rating 5 out of 5]

A compelling read, beautifully written with meticulous research and attention to detail. Ms Moore perfectly blends authoritative facts with an empathetic narrative, bringing to life Lady Fanshawe, her family, and her life and times. Through the challenges of civil war, the unsettling finances of an exiled court, and the triumph and tragedy of simply trying to survive, Ann Fanshawe is an unforgettable and inspiring woman. Once started, I couldn't put the book down. And now that I've finished it, I think I have to read it all over again.

[Louise Culmer · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting book about a lady who lived through one of the most turbulent periods in english history, the English (or, more accurately, British) Civil War. The book centers around her Receipt book, a collection of recipes for food and medicines, which were typically compiled by ladies and passed on to their daughters. One of the main duties of a housewife in those days was to make home remedies for illness so she could treat any ailments of family members, since doctors were few and far between (for instance, there was at that time only one doctor in the whole of Shropshire). Lady Fanshawe needed her recipes, she had a very large number of children, and sadly, as was common in those days, many of them died. Although interesting, the author clearly struggles to fill in the gaps in Lady Fanshawe's memoirs, there is rather a lot of passages that begin 'she must have done this' or 'we can suppose that she did that' etc. perhaps a more general book on the subject of women's receipt books would have provided more material than just concentrating on one lady.

[Andra · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is indeed remarkably well written - it’s one of the few books based on historical figures that has really caught my interest through the lecture. Before reading this book I imagined the 17th century as a dull period in history, with few events that needed to be mentioned. However, reading about Ann Fanshawe’s life was like transporting myself back then, learning about all the suffering she had been through and how well she managed to stay close to her husband even in the most difficult situations. This book deserves more than 5 stars, it’s the best one I’ve read this year so far!

[Katharine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating account of one woman’s experience of the English Clvil War and it’s aftermath using the memoir she wrote for her son and her “receipt” book, a collection of both recipes and herbal remedies. It thrown an interesting light on the role played by aristocratic Royalist women at this time and the networks of important connections they maintained, sometimes crossing political lines. Very readable and absorbing.

[Judith · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is so much in this book. It’s a biography of Lady Fanshawe. It’s a history of Cromwell’s time in power & the restoration - which I found sad given Charles ll’s lack of gratitude for the support when he was in exile. And there is a lot of information about life in general during the mid-17th century. But it’s not heavy going. Highly recommended as an introduction to this period in our history.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ann Fanshawe and her husband supported the king during the civil wars and this meant a lot of travelling around Europe in exile. This wonderful non-fiction book takes Lady Fanshawe's receipt (or recipe) book as its basis to tell the story of this incredible woman and the times she lived in. Very well-written and thoroughly interesting.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intriguing mix of civil war history, women's history and the history of folk remedies. I liked the way that the author analysed the remedies to determine why they might have worked or not worked. Well researched, with a large cast of historical figures (which she does provide a list of at the end). Ann Fanshawe lived a fascinating (if tragic life).

[Helen Hollick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has received a Discovering Diamonds Review:
Helen Hollick
founder #DDRevs

"An absolute must for anyone intending to write fiction about this period."

[Gary Howes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting would highly recommend

[Yvonne Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting. Not compelling but it does keep your interest