What's Cooking?

Food, Drink and the Pleasures of Eating in Old-Time Nova Scotia

The Margaret Irons of "Recipes kept by Margaret Irons" may have been the widow of James Irons. There is only one Irons family in Halifax listed in Hutchinson's Nova Scotia Directory 1866-67; the family resided at 85 Hollis St. The household included Margaret Irons, widow of James; and John D. Irons, carpenter, and Mary Irons, milliner, who both boarded at the same address. Halifax County Estate Papers (#831) include the will of James Irons, railway contractor, late of Halifax but living in Sackville on 23 November 1858. He died two days later on 25 November. James named his wife Margaret executrix. If this is the correct Margaret, someone else must have written the recipes for her because she signed her name with an X on the probate documents. Perhaps she could read but not write.

Date: 1800s

Reference: Miscellaneous Manuscripts Nova Scotia Archives  MG 100 vol. 213 no.6