Tossing the pancake

It’s nearly Shrove Tuesday! I was reminded by the appearance of a pancake maker at the Together Trust this week, promising to make perfect pancakes quickly with little mess. Of course as a child the best thing about Pancake Day (aside from the eating) was the tossing, the catching or the scraping of the now inedible pancake off the kitchen floor.  

Diary entry for 1 March 1870 – Shrove Tuesday

Nothing much changes through the years with a tradition such as this and right from the beginning of the charity’s history the day was celebrated. Above is an entry from the Manchester Refuge diary in March 1870, which recorded business throughout the year. Various things were written in these diaries from new applicants to the homes, to events and meetings, to supplies that were needed. These ran from the first few days until 1920 when the charity moved to Cheadle.

From a social point of view this gives an idea of what food was available and affordable to feed the children in the homes. Potatoes, meat and bread were staples. In the above entry reference to Shrove Tuesday is also highlighted with the purchase of eggs, milk and lard. We will have to assume flour was already in the cupboards! 

Diary entry for 3 March 1870

The diaries are a fascinating glimpse into the day-to–day work of the charity and contribute hugely to the understanding of the charity in its earliest days. There is a whole world of research to be found in these diaries. We just need someone to have the time to go through them!