Featured Article Summary #62

Florence Petty was a Scottish social worker, cookery writer, and broadcaster. She worked in the socially deprived area of Somers Town in London, teaching working-class women how to cook inexpensive and nutritious food. Petty was known as "The Pudding Lady" because she taught the women how to make suet puddings. She also became a qualified sanitary inspector and wrote cookery books and pamphlets on using cost-efficient cooking methods, such as a haybox. Petty toured Britain giving lectures and demonstrations on economical ingredients and cooking methods. She is considered a pioneer in social work and her approach to teaching cheap and nutritious food was adopted by the Ministry of Food during World War II. Petty continued to work until her death in 1948. Florence Petty was a lecturer and demonstrator in health foods who worked in deprived areas of London. She provided cookery lessons for mothers in Somers Town, a poverty-stricken neighbourhood, teaching them how to cook cheap yet nutritious meals. Petty also published a book called The Pudding Lady's Recipe Book, which contained 300 recipes using basic foods and practical advice for those who did not have the necessary equipment at home. She continued her work after World War I, lecturing and writing about cookery, and even presented talks on the radio. Petty's efforts in promoting economical cooking methods prefigured the Ministry of Food's efforts during World War II. Florence Petty has written several works including "The Pudding Lady: A New Departure in Social Work", a pamphlet on "Fireless Cookery", "The Pudding Lady's Recipe Book", and contributed chapters on cookery and childcare to other books such as "The Gateway to Health" and "Mothercraft".