The Making of the Modern British Diet

Food is the physiological basis of man's existence but is also an expression of a society's culture and may play many roles other than physiological in terms of both personal and group relationships. Originally published in 1976, The Making of the Modern British Diet focusses on the role of food during industrialisation and urbanisation in Britain. Part One contains a series of commodity studies covering bread, cereals, biscuits, meat, milk, tea and cocoa which reflect trends in the supply of some of the foods in the British diet during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The emphasis in Part Two is predominantly on consumption, either through the study of living standards or consumer preference or through the presentation of food and the organisation of its outlets to the consumer. Part Three provides a nutritional evaluation which is an entirely new approach in an historical work.

Derek J. Oddy (1931-2018) was, at the time of original publication, Senior Lecturer in Economic History, Ealing Technical College, UK. Derek S. Miller was, at the time of original publication, Research Nutritionist, Queen Elizabeth College, University of London, UK.

Contributors. 1. Editors' Introduction Part One: The Supply of Food 2. Nutrition, Technology and the Growth of the British Biscuit Industry, 1820-1900 T. A. B. Corley 3. The 'Consumer Revolution' and the Growth of Factory Foods: Changing Patterns of Bread and Cereal-Eating in Britain in the Twentieth Century E. J. T. Collins 4. The Development of the Meat Industry E. F. Williams 5. The Growth of the Sugar Trade and Refining Industry G. N. Johnstone 6. The London Milk Trade, 1900-1930 E. H. Whetham 7. The Cocoa and Chocolate Industry in the Nineteenth Century J. Othick 8. The British Tea Trade in the Nineteenth Century P. Mathias Part Two: Factors Influencing Consumption 9. The Agricultural Labourer's Standard of Living in Kent, 1790-1840 T. L. Richardson 10. Drink and Working-Class Living Standards in Britain, 1870-1914 A. E. Dingle 11. Regional Variations in Food Habits D. E. Allen 12. The Corner Shop: The Development of the Grocery and General Provisions Trade J. M. Blackman 13. J. Lyons and Co. Ltd: Caterers and Food Manufacturers, 1894-1939 D. J. Richardson 14. The Development of the Food-Canning Industry in Britain During the Inter-War Period J. P. Johnston Part Three: A Nutritional Evaluation 15. Developments Leading to Present-Day Nutritional Knowledge D. F. Hollingsworth 16. Some Basic Principles of Nutrition J. Yudkin 17. Nutrition Surveys D. S. Miller 18. A Nutritional Analysis of Historical Evidence: The Working-Class Diet, 1880-1914 D. J. Oddy. Index.