Childhood and Food in the Edwardian Period

The monograph examines the time of King Edward VII. His reign from 1901 to 1910 was a short period indeed, yet with a distinctive character of its own. Was it all just ‘wining and dining,’ a Golden Age of comfort and prosperity? After all, the country saw itself confronted with ever more domestic and international crises. So how do scholars, writers and artists in retrospect assess the time? The era is explored through specimen of four different types of text: historiography, autobiography, biography/interviews and fiction. Childhood and food are used as two central categories to access the time. The conception of childhood undergoes significant changes in this dramatic decade, towards more child-led and sociological notions of education and upbringing. The children’s culture becomes really modern, as to food, the nursery, education, clothing and fashion, spare time and recreation, reading, games and sports; travelling and entertainment. The rich and varied food issues embedded in the Edwardian period demonstrate the ambivalent character of the age. Food in its function as a cultural metaphor becomes an epitome of Edwardian history, culture and literature.