A Bessie Francis recipe

Bessie was a lifelong Market Lavington resident. She was born a Gye but later married butcher, Peter Francis who gave up the butchery trade to become the local professional photographer – with Bessie as his very able helper. For many years they lived above the Church Street shop.

A copy of her handwritten recipes has recently come to us at the museum and we pick on one of her recipes here.

Bessie Francis’s recipe for ginger snaps

This is a recipe for ginger snaps. Let’s hope it isn’t teeth that they snap! Judging from this book Bessie was very keen on sweet items. There are several different fudge recipes, more than one crème de menthe recipe and lots of other sweet items, mixed in with some savoury items, a couple of knitting patterns and even a recipe for curing skins.

At our Museum Miscellany this year – October 8^th at 7.30 in the Community Hall – we will have a range of ‘Museum’ food. This recipe of Bessie’s could be amongst the delicacies on offer – along with old favourites such as Grandma Doubleday’s potted meat and green pea sandwiches.

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Tags: Bessie Francis, ginger snaps, recipe