Sarah Ellen's Sour Milk Cake

So as I attempt my first Sarah Ellen cake trial I discover that her book is less of a Recipe Book and more of a Great British Bake Off  'Technical Challenge'!

The book lists ingredients and quantities, with at best, a brief method. Fortunately the Sour Milk Cake turns out to be an easy enough first bake to guess.  Sour Milk Cake? - thrifty genes makes this one a winner!  The biggest test was to resist the temptation to grab the Kenwood mixer and instead rub the butter into the flour by hand, as Sarah Ellen herself would have done.

This leads to the second realisation, whilst my fingers repetitively strain at rubbing half a pound of butter into 2 cups of flour, that Sarah Ellen's book was perhaps her quantity conversion for her restaurant, or one to eat, one to store.

Sour Milk Cake

2 BR Cups Flour (BR - Bee-Ro I'm thinking, I used standard US cups)
1/2lb butter (225g)
1lb sugar (450g, I used a bit less, about 400g)
1/2lb currants (225g)
1 small teaspoon soda
1 cup sour milk
1 egg
Bake 1 1/2 hours.

I rub the butter into the flour until it was like fine breadcrumbs.  Added sugar, currants, bicarb of soda, sour milk and egg.  Baked for 1 1/2 hours in the Aga - no temperature guidance, an Aga is what it is!

One to keep, one to freeze

The camera never lies - a bit more stirring needed!

I'm rather pleased with the end result, however, the next challenge is to restrict Mr Turner to just one piece a day!

Sarah Ellen's Story - 1861-1938 - (my Maternal Great Great Grandmother)

Sarah Ellen Simpson

My Mum's genealogy research began almost 30 years ago, when my eldest brother, Dan, was back in the home of our forbears and studying at Newcastle University.  It seems a good place for me to pick up on the story of Sarah Ellen who was born on 15 October 1861, the second child of Grocers, Joseph and Isabella Carr of Batley, West Yorkshire.

Sarah Ellen travelled to Jarrow for a career as Assistant Teacher in a Board School, where she lodged in the home of the Headmaster and his wife.  Board Schools provided elementary education for children from 5 to 13 where there was a shortfall in places. In 1881 parents still had to pay fees for their children to attend schools.  Religious teaching in board schools was restricted to non-denominational instruction, or none at all.

Sarah Ellen & John Matthew Gray

On 18 September 1887, Sarah Ellen married farmer John Matthew Gray of Red House Farm (now a residential area of Newcastle upon Tyne).  She was thrilled to become a farmer's wife and studied farm husbandry, dairy hygiene and revelled in cooking.  A son, John Thomas was born on 20 September 1888.

John Thomas & Annie Emmeline

Sadly, Sarah Ellen's husband, my Great Great Grandfather, John Matthew Gray, died age 35, of Typhoid Fever in April 1890, just a short time before the arrival of their daughter, Annie Emmeline.  Only three years later, Sarah Ellen's life was totally shattered when Annie Emmeline also died of Typhoid Fever.

At only 26, Sarah Ellen held on to the rented Red House farm and is quoted as 'The Farmer' in Ward's Directory in 1880.  Ward's Directory was a trade directory for Newcastle upon Tyne, that listed all businesses and tradespeople, as well as a general directory of postal addresses of local landowners, charities, and other facilities. In effect, it was a Victorian version of today's Yellow Pages.  In the 1800's it would be less usual for a female career to be acknowledged.

According to the 1891 Census, she was supported on the farm by live in hands Bridjet Mary Cain, a Domestic Servant from Ireland and a Farm Servant called Walter Lilley.  Boarding lodgers employed in the nearby dockyards brought in extra vital income.

In March 1896 Sarah Ellen married George Charlton, a 60 year old farmer of Ricklees Farm (another now residential area of Newcastle).  The story passed down has it, that George made a cruel stepfather to young John and Sarah Ellen was very unhappy - although my Granny also heard it said that Sarah Ellen adored young John so much, she could not reason any discipline - maybe quite fairly considering her earlier losses.  

George squandered all Sarah Ellen's livestock and money.

One morning, while John was safely staying with his Grandparents in Batley, Sarah Ellen, packed her ottoman trunk with special possessions (including items still in the family, cranberry glass, meat plates, silver spoons and a small black mirror) and hid it under the delivery of farm eggs bound for Newcastle.  The Cart Driver dropped her off in Newcastle, but before the driver of the cart could do anything about it, she smashed all the eggs on the cart, leaving George virtually penniless.

Sarah Ellen & young John

Sarah Ellen found work in a restaurant with generous couple, Cuthbert and Isabella Saul. By 1923 she put her culinary skills to the test in her own 'Gentleman's Restaurant' and billiard room.

The proportions in Sarah Ellen's recipe book confirms Monument Cafe on Blackett Street must have been a popular spot - 'Vegetable Hotpot - 50lbs potatoes, 3lbs onions, 6 Oxo cubes, pepper & salt.  Pastry: 4lb flour, 2lb ground rice, 1/4lb marg, 1 1/2 oz baking powder.'  The recipe notebook contains hundreds of thrifty recipes providing good wholesome nourishment.

Sarah Ellen Gray

Sarah Ellen died in January 1938 and was cremated in Newcastle as Sarah Ellen Gray, though her death certificate uses her second married surname, Charlton.

You may wonder what became of my Great Grandfather, young John Thomas (Jack) Gray, MBE?  He may well be the subject of my next blog.

Blackett Street, Newcastle, circa 1900

Sarah Ellen's book of recipes

Ward's Directory Cover from 1850