Elizabeth David: 1913 - 1992

Father was Rupert Gwynne and mother was Stella Ridley. Rupert’s father was a miserly, controlling man

who put restrictions on his will, limiting inheritance only to male lineage

Rupert married well – Stella was a rich woman of some lineage whose family was connected to the Conservative party Rupert won a seat in parliament, lived in London

part-time Family home was in Wooton, Sussex

Rupert and Stella had 4 daughters and 1 infant son who died in childbirth Elizabeth was born Dec. 26, 1913, second eldest

Stella and Rupert Gwynne

Rupert, Elizabeth, Felicité, Stella, Diana, Priscilla – Rupert died 1924

Wootton Manor, Sussex, England

Elizabeth’s Theatrical Career

With Rupert deceased and no male heir, the family home in Wootton was being taken over by Rupert’s unmarried brother, Roland, who evicted the family Priscilla married and moved to Malta; the two

younger sister were farmed out to relatives In 1933, Stella remarried and moved with

her new husband to Jamaica Against her mother’s wishes, Elizabeth

joined the Oxford Repertory Company in 1932, then joined the Open Air theatre in 1933

Elizabeth, the actress, Open Air Theatre *

Elisabeth responded to the Bohemian freedom of theatrical life and she felt a tremendous release. Here she learned about hard drinking at post-performance parties and in long sessions at the pub, and discovered that she had a very strong head. She never once had a speaking part.

Charles Gibson Cowan

Writer, producer, actor Both refused to accept

constrictions of their social class

Elizabeth was trying to break free while still maintaining security of an influential family, indulgent bankers and account at Selfridges

Stella disapproved of the relationship – 1936 E. was sent off to her sister in Malta, then to Egypt

1937

Summer in south of France with friends, including 4 Oxford boyfriends

Spent their days in cafés or on the beach and drank well into the evening

Elizabeth stayed in Corsica alone, rooming with a humble family “Madame’s cooking was rough, generous, full

of character and colour. Great dishes of ham and tomatoes, eggs and olives, plenty of salads and oil, huge hunks of bread, great bowls of ripe figs. I have never forgotten the very special taste of that food”

The Voyage of the Evelyn Hope, 1938

Sailed across the English channel on July 8, 1938 with Charles Cowan

At Rouen, sailed up the Seine to Paris, then continued south through the Canal de Bourgogne (over 200 locks), through a tunnel in Côte d’Or to Dijon

Continuing south on Saône to Lyon, finally to Marseilles by early September

Then moored at Antibes, near Nice. It was here that ED met Norman Douglas – he 72, she 26

Norman Douglas *

Author, traveller The best teacher ED ever had “Look for what is true and

authentic; see things as they are; be vigilant against the pretentious and the sham; above all, please yourself and take the consequences”

He was exceptional as “he talked about food at a time when educated people simply didn’t”

He talked about food because it mattered, because it was part of civilized life, to be enjoyed as profoundly as every other pleasure, such as art, music.

Sailing around the War Sailing south down Italian

coast, arrested and yacht confiscated, accused of being spies

Under house arrest in Rome & Venice

Finally released and moved to Greece

To Egypt May 1941, ED employed as clerk in naval office, Charles took job w. a ship

Winter 1941, ED met Peter Laing, a Canadian officer – together until April 1943 when he returned to Toronto, injured

Tony David

ED living in Cairo, working at Ministry of Information. Met Tony in Feb. 1944, he with British army in India

They married in Aug and in June 1945 he was posted to India

ED joined him in 6 months but she hated India Colonial India: private clubs,

stuffy parties, uptight society Filthy kitchen in her flat Food disappointing Climate unbearable

Back in England *

Post-war English food depressing In a furious revolt against that terrible,

cheerless, heartless food, she wrote down descriptions of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cooking. Even to write words like apricot, olives and butter, rice and lemons, oil and almonds, produced comfort.

ED began writing about food Her articles first appeared in Harper’s and

read like travel pieces. Editors found ED to be very professional, timely.

Published Mediterranean Food – June 1950. Her descriptions evoke a time and place, illuminate the approach to food in the Mediterranean region.

Writing at the Kitchen Table

French Country cooking Oct. 1950

Spent most of 1952 in Italy, preparing notes for Italian Food

Norman Douglas died in Feb.

Italian Food published Nov. ’54

‘56 & ’57 research in France for next book

French Provincial Cooking published in 1960

Elizabeth David Ltd.

Opened 1965 with partners

She managed all the buying, hard-fisted control of stock

Initiated certain crazes like a vinegar “mother” – she would give a little piece to store patrons.

Specialized oils, cookware; ED held court in basement

By 1973, partners were in court, shop was closed

Effect on British kitchens

E.D.’s kitchen was the centerpiece of her flat, dominated by a huge farmhouse table, surrounded by open cabinets stacked with terracotta and earthenware pots, cast iron pans.

Her shop was responsible for Le Creuset introducing its cast-iron pans in blue

Food photography changed: no faux food shots, only pictures of what she had actually cooked.

1964

1971 in France

At Chez Panisse with Richard Olney 1986

Late 80’s

Feb. 22, 1994 Auction

After she died, the farmhouse table sold at auction for £1,100 and a colander for £320. The gastrocenti wanted a piece of her at any cost.The sale netted £49,000

Auction room was packed; unbelievable crowd, the auctioneer was overwhelmed by volume of bids

People wanted something, anything, some keepsake

Bidders bought relics, fragments from someone they had never met but who had had such an effect on their lives

They wanted a piece of Elizabeth David forever