A Victorian D<strong>in</strong>ner Party! TG Bonney, who became an em<strong>in</strong>ent geologist, was born <strong>in</strong> 1833. As a child he lived at <strong>Rugeley</strong> Grammar School where his father was head. His maternal gr<strong>and</strong>parents lived opposite, at "Lottery Hall". This extract is from his autobiography "Memories of a long life" - the chapter on his <strong>Rugeley</strong> childhood. In a country town d<strong>in</strong>ner parties were not frequent, for there were few who could afford to give them, <strong>and</strong> guests could not easily come from a distance. The hour was four or half past or sometimes five. As a first course, soup was placed before the hostess, <strong>and</strong> fish before the host, <strong>and</strong> these were alternatives. The latter, <strong>in</strong> <strong>Rugeley</strong>, had to be ordered from a Lichfield fishmonger about a week beforeh<strong>and</strong>, <strong>and</strong> uncerta<strong>in</strong>ty that it would arrive <strong>in</strong> time added to the hostess' anxieties. damag<strong>in</strong>g it. The w<strong>in</strong>es were port <strong>and</strong> sherry. The men sat rather longer over their w<strong>in</strong>e than now, <strong>and</strong> imbibed a little more. After they returned to the draw<strong>in</strong>g-room, tea <strong>and</strong> coffee were served, <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong> due course card tables were put out, at which quartets sat down to 'long whist’, but the younger members of the party would sometimes jo<strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong> a 'round game'. Very often, as the even<strong>in</strong>g was rather long (the party generally dispersed about ten) a tray was brought <strong>in</strong> shortly before that hour, with s<strong>and</strong>wiches, cakes <strong>and</strong> "negus". The next course an ample one. For a party of about sixteen, eight dishes were placed on the table: a roast jo<strong>in</strong>t <strong>and</strong> a turkey or fowls boiled, at top <strong>and</strong> bottom; two rather lighter th<strong>in</strong>gs - perhaps ducks or boiled rabbits <strong>and</strong> a hare - were put <strong>in</strong> the middle of the sides. The rema<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g four dishes, called from their position the 'corners', took the place of the modern entrée, <strong>and</strong> were, I th<strong>in</strong>k, served before the heavier vi<strong>and</strong>s. The next course <strong>in</strong>clude game, when <strong>in</strong> season, with pudd<strong>in</strong>g or tart, jellies <strong>and</strong> creams - about half a dozen dishes <strong>in</strong> all, after which cheese was h<strong>and</strong>ed round. At d<strong>in</strong>ner sherry was the usual dr<strong>in</strong>k, except that ale, commonly <strong>in</strong> tall conical glasses was served with the cheese. Then the cloth was drawn <strong>and</strong> the dessert placed on the table, <strong>in</strong> the polish of which the hostess took great pride, <strong>and</strong> decanter st<strong>and</strong>s were always used to avoid 18
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