I am just about to spread the “no-added-sugar fruit paste” on my regular 2 pieces of 100% rye this morning with a bone-handled dessert knife, when I’m minded to look more closely at the blade.
This prompts a memory surge going back 60 years.
The knife has seen better days; the bone handle is split, but still feels comfortable in the hand.
The name of the shop it came from–Bravingtons–is clearly visible on the small broad blade–which spreads the fruit paste nicely.
I always liked the knives from this set–probably a wedding present for my parents from Ma’s uncle Harry, back in April 1938.
They were in everyday use when I was a boy–perhaps helping to establish my pernickity taste in cutlery. My enjoyment of food is always affected by what I am eating it with.
Great Uncle Harry Weakford, worked at the Bravingtons in Knightsbridge, selling silver to the posh.
He was my mother’s father’s brother.
This branch–just down from Harrods–had the familiar black-marbled, silver-lettered banner front–favoured by pre-war jewellery shops.
The Bravingtons shops proudly displayed the Royal Coat of Arms–as the official supplier of cutlery to the Queen.
Uncle Harry was a jovial cove who lived with his wife in Norbury, south London, where my mother was born & raised.
Once we visited for tea in the Fifties. I remember watching Leslie Howard in The Scarlet Pimpernel (1934) on their telly. We didn’t have a set at home, and I recall being swept up in the brave romance of it all. (Little did I know that years later I’d be rescuing French aristos in the guise of Ross Poldark!)
Uncle Harry, like my mother, had diabetes–and these thoughts about the knife make me want to know more about him and
remind me how “family inheritance” can be a mixed blessing!
Robin Ellis 
Robin,
I know that knife! We have several of its Yorkshire cousins in everyday use, and very comfortable they feel (although they do not like the dishwasher).
There is something about the ‘handiness’ of a well-made and well-designed utensil. We have a cheese grinder from the late 1930s that my mother must have bought when she was a young bride (and before I was born). It still works perfectly after more than 70 years, and our guests marvel at the steady stream of parmeggiano that falls gently onto their pasta at the turn of a metal wheel. I’ll bet the cheese tastes different if you use one of those new-fangled plastic ones (the basic design has changed very little).
Cutting edge technology, I suppose. Keith
What a great story! I hope you’ll tell us many more stories like this one….
Why? Because I can relate to what you’re writing, for one, the “mixed blessings”, diabetes is also a family inheritance for me, my mother and grandmother had it along with other familymembers. So does my brother.
But most of all I love this story because I know how one little thing you come across can bring back so many memories. I had an aunt and uncle who were surrogate parents to me and I couldn’t have loved them more if they were my real parents. For as long I can remember, my uncle had a keychain with some photo’s on it. Little pictures of him and my aunt when they were young and just got married. That keychain was the only thing I wanted to have when he died. The only thing of value for me. I still use it every day, it’s holding my keys now. But their pictures are still in it. A little reminder of people I’ve loved.
Thanks for the story!
Dieneke
Thanks for that story, Dieneke. It’s the little things….
Bone handled knives – such memories of my grandfather clutching such a handle as if ’twere a dagger and stabbing maggots (yes!) exiting the ripe cheese on his plate. Many such horrors are lodged in the disorganised cupboard of my mind, mostly concerning post-war food and its preparation in my grandparents’ kitchen…….. live eels in a galvanised bath for one!
Mention of ‘Bravingtons’ recalls a Betjeman poem which ends thus (or close to thus): ‘….so maybe the Air Vice Marshall will buy her a Bravington ring’.
I worked in a ceramics gallery in Soho (Marshall St) throughout the 80s and sometimes encountered you, pushing your bike in Berwick Street market as I dashed out for bargains late in the afternoon. Love your blog – I too am Type 2 and looking forward hugely to your book. Thanks Robin. Best wishes, Di
Thanks Di, that is so touching.
I remember well that ceramic shop–next to the organic sandwich place.
I’m updating “Making Poldark” and yesterday was writing a section on doing voice-overs and revisited that area in my mind!–strange and wonderful timing.
O, Robin, what a nice story and memory.That nife you have is yes(a late Art-Deco), very handy and comfortable for the day use.It’s normal that it get’s wearing out.
When I saw the type of nife, it brings also memories back to be of my childhood.
My mother was a Antique dealer(she passed away in 1999) and and in the mid seventies till early eighties when the £ was low we used to cross the channel to buy Antiques and yes also the bone and Ivory sets (that time we used to buy them cheap!) of the older Edwardian & Victorian times.Now these days the Britisch people buy in Belgium to bring it back to the UK.I always went that time as child to the UK(was nicer then going to school lol).
Have fun here and enjoy de evening(it’s raining here in Belgium for the moment),Chantal.
Nice memory, Chantal–thanks.
My mother was kind enough to give me the set of silver she received as a wedding gift. I used to polish it for her when I was a kid, so she thought I should have it. It’s a lovely, now antique pattern from the 1940’s (I think) called – appropriately! – “Eternally Yours.” The other piece of kitchenware that I’m very attached to is a knife (a “couteau à tomate,” I was told – serrated and perfect for even the ripest tomatoes). This was a gift from a French friend whose family worked for a company (Ricornet) that manufactured cutlery in Thiers, a little town in the Puy-de-Dôme.
Thiers figured in a charming Truffault film – “Argent de poche.” There’s also a great little museum there called the “Musée de la coutellerie.” It’s worth a visit (honest).
It’s funny how many cutlery memories there can be out here. And of course these things have such sentimental value.
What a pleasure it is to find someone who uses blogging to incorporate the past with the now. I thoroughly enjoy the recipes and can’t wait until the cookbook is released in the US. Thanks again for allowing the public to share a part of your private as well as reminding us of Poldark, I could never forget. Thank you.
Thank you, Pat–I enjoy doing it.
Wow! Certainly triggered some memories here!! My parents had a complete set of bone handled cutlery, which included the fish knives and forks. I remember there was a ginormous fish set for serving the fish. We were always in trouble for leaving any of them in the hot washing up water for too long!!! Some had rather ‘Heath Robinson’ mends to keep the handles attached.
Mother favoured one knife, with a bendy blade, for spreading butter, and became very upset when we used any other knife from the set for that task!!!!. I am now as possessive about my Butter Spreader, which is a very boring miniature palette knife!!! As the set was not deemed ‘worth saving’, my parents ditched it and replaced it with a rather unromantic stainless set.
My Fathers Father worked in cutlery, he lived in Highbury and, incidently, played for the Arsenal as an amateur, but I digress. He taught us all about the correct balance of cutlery and how to carve. I now own the ‘family carvers’ which are horn handled with silver embellishments. They include another huge set of fish servers, a long poultry carver, a slim ham carver and a shorter bladed knife for beef/lamb etc, a steel and two forks, one of which has lost its spring!!
To this day I sharpen my kitchen knives each week, a task that always reminds me of my beloved Father.
I’m delighted to read that you are updating ‘Making Poldark’. My copy is kept in a plastic wallet as it is gently falling to pieces. It’s required reading for my visitors – as I live in God’s own county – and its a brilliant starting point for helping them to learn a little of Cornwalls History. as a result, I nearly always have to take them to Port Quin !!
Sorry to go on for so long, but you started it!!! Jo
WOW too!–lovely stories. Cutlery seems to have played a bigger part “back then”. Families sat round tables for meals more perhaps.
Very pleasing to use something daily that familiar and cherished hands have used before. Thanks Jo.
nice to hear mention of Port Quin.