Kristin Holt | Victorian-American Boot Jacks

by Kristin Holt, USA Today Bestselling Author
of Sweet Romance set in the American Old West

Necessity, the Mother of Invention

While men's boots were loose enough to be pulled free with a man's own two hands, no one knew they needed something like a boot jack. As so often happens, changing fashions dictate the need for an invention (i.e., sleeve supporters). This time, fashion's wily ways effected men.

The story presented in this 1871 newspaper article explains how "boot-jacks came in shortly after the introduction of tight boots."

North Star of Danville, Vermont on September 22, 1871.

Imagining a Boot Jack

Are you familiar with boot jacks? Could you recognize one in a museum?

Kristin Holt | Victorian-American Boot Jacks. Photo of a Victorian mahogany boot jack with T-handle. Sold by Wilson 55 Auctioneers.

Image: Wilson 55 Auctioneers

This beautiful mahogany piece allowed the user to remove his tight boots. Yet not all boot jacks were so fancy.

Kristin Holt | Victorian-American Boot Jacks. Photographs of vintage wooden boot jack, plain and utilitarian. Sold by Every Thing But The House.

Image: Every Thing But The House

Yes, many boot jacks were wooden, such as these examples. Manufacturers also cast jacks out of iron.

Kristin Holt | Victorian-American Boot Jacks. Photo of 19th century American antique cast iron portable boot jack, sold by Urban Remains.

Image: Urban Remains

Even mail-order catalogues got in on the boot jack market. Montgomery, Ward & Co. Catalogue sold boot jacks made of iron.

Kristin Holt | Victorian-American Boot Jacks. Boot Jacks sold in Montgomery, Ward & Co. Catalogue No. 57, Spring and Summer 1895.

Montgomery, Ward & Co. Catalogue Spring and Summer 1895, No. 57.

Boot Jacks: A Necessary Contraption?

Boot Jacks have gone the way of the dodo. Most of us haven't seen one--but many of us have. Any able-bodied man could remove his own boots, couldn't he?

Consider the tale related in 1876:

Kristin Holt | Victorian-American Boot Jacks. Fanciful tale about a man using a sapling tree as a boot jack, and the miserable results. From The Mendocino Democrat of Ukiah, California, May 20, 1876.

The Mendocino Democrat of Ukiah, California on May 20, 1876.

Reminiscing About Boot Jacks

Ah, the good old days. Some of those golden days of yore included boot jacks.

Kristin Holt | Victorian-American Boot Jacks. An amusing boot jack story from Weekly Oregon Statesman of Salem, Oregon on August 1, 1890.

Now that's a charming tale. Worth a chuckle.

This next old-time reminiscence tale recalls his father's discipline applied by paddling the boy's backside with a boot jack.

Kristin Holt | Victorian-American Boot Jacks. A reminiscent, glowing tale of "The Old Oaken Boot Jack," and the paddling a boy received. From The Streator Free Press of Streator, Illinois on September 28, 1900.

Boot Jack Patents

Kristin Holt | Victorian-American Boot Jacks. U.S. Patent No 8865 awarded to inventor S. Thompson for Boot Jack (illustrated), patented April 6, 1852.

Kristin Holt | Victorian-American Boot Jacks. U.S. Patent No 18,844 awarded to inventor F.C. Goffin for Boot Jack, patented April 6, 1858.

Kristin Holt | Victorian-American Boot Jacks. U.S. Patent No 30,913 awarded to invetor J. Durham for Boot Jack, Patented December 18, 1860.

Invitation

Have you seen or used a boot jack? Do you have something to add? Please scroll down and comment.

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by USA Today Bestselling Author Kristin Holt

Victorian America's Strawberries

Strawberries are abundant and lauded throughout Victorian-era cook books and newspapers. Since well before Victoria gained the throne, strawberries have been a seasonal favorite.

Restaurants served strawberries.


Proudly serving strawberries and cream! The Evening Post, New York, NY, May 3, 1837.

Even fund-raisers included fresh strawberries!

Kristin Holt | Victorian America's Strawberries. The Young Ladies Missionary Society will give a strawberry and ice cream festival.... The Elyria Democrat of Elyria, Ohio, May 31, 1888.

Victorian cooks prepared a variety of dishes with the berries in season. Just as importantly, housekeepers diligently preserved strawberries for off-season use.

Let's see what Victorian Americans did with strawberries!

Successful Victorian Strawberry Patches

This first article comes all the way from Victoria's coronation year, 1837. Notice the vintage tips to ensure an abundant crop!

Kristin Holt | Victorian America's Strawberries. Tips for growing strawberries, from The Pittsfield Sun of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, May 4, 1837.

Strategies for growing strawberries, from The Pittsfield Sun, Pittsfield MA, May 4, 1837.

Growing wisdom continued in newspapers, throughout the Victorian era.

Kristin Holt | Victorian America's Strawberries. Management of Strawberry plants, from The Inter Ocean of Chicago, Illinois. December 2, 1875.

Management of Strawberry Plants; The Inter Ocean of Chicago, Illinois. December 2, 1875.

This 1881 article encourages the planting of more than one variety of strawberries. Science at work!

Kristin Holt | Victorian America's Strawberries. To produce larger crops and finer berries, plant several varieties in one bed. Science explained! From The Weekly Star and Kansan of Independence, Kansas, October 13, 1881.

Plant a variety! The Weekly Star and Kansan of Independence, KS. October 13, 1881.

Victorian America's Strawberry Recipes

Victorians feasted on strawberries in season. I'll show you their preserves recipes, too, below.

So, what did Victorian housekeepers (a.k.a. homemaker) do with fresh strawberries?

Victorian Fresh Strawberry Recipes

Serve with sugar and lemon.

Kristin Holt | Victorian America's Strawberries. Italian Mode of Preparing Strawberries. Sunbury American of Sunbury, Pennsylvania on January 2, 1841.

Victorians adored jellied desserts. It's no surprise that cooks incorporated fresh strawberries into a moulded dessert.

Kristin Holt | Victorian America's Strawberries. Strawberry Jelly Mould recipe from The Complete Confectioner, Pastry-Cook, and Baker, published 1844.

The Complete Confectioner, Pastry-Cook, and Baker, Published 1844.

Oooh! Ice Cream! An at-home Victorian favorite, and also available in ice cream parlors about town.

Kristin Holt | Victorian America's Strawberries. Strawberry Ice Cream Recipe, using fresh berries, from Miss Beecher's Domestic Receipt Book Supplement, 1846.

Miss Beecher's Domestic Receipt Book, published 1846.

Another strawberry ice cream.

Kristin Holt | Victorian America's Strawberries. Recipe for Strawberry Ice Cream from The Modern Housewife Menagerie, Nearly 1,000 Receipts, published 1851.

This "strawberry cream" recipe, known in the Victorian-era as Strawberry Whisk, sounds incredible. Even better than strawberry ice cream--and for this ice cream fan, that's saying something.

Kristin Holt | Victorian America's Strawberries. (Currant, Raspberry, or) Strawberry Whisk Recipe, using fresh berries, from Miss Beecher's Domestic Receipt Book Supplement, 1846.

Miss Beecher's Domestic Receipt Book, published 1846.

Or freeze a strawberry ice without cream, altogether.

Kristin Holt | Victorian America's Strawberries. Recipe for Strawberry Ice (frozen treat without cream), from Miss Leslie's Lady's New Receipt Book, published 1851.

Miss Leslie's Lady's New Receipt Book, Published 1851.

Let's not forget PIE! Victorians adored pies, including berry pies. Notice one of these cooks the berries, and the other doesn't.

Kristin Holt | Victorian America's Strawberries. Fresh Berry Pies, including strawberry, from Beedle's Dime Cook Book, published 1864.

The New Housekeeper's Manual, Published 1873.

Strawberry sauce for baked puddings. Ooh, this sounds good.

Kristin Holt | Victorian America's Strawberries. Strawberry Sauce Recipe, to be served with baked puddings. From Practical Cooking and Dinner Giving, Published 1877.

Practical Cooking and Dinner Giving, Published 1877.

Don't forget the Strawberry Shortcake!

Kristin Holt | Victorian America's Strawberries. Two strawberry shortcake recipes from: Practical Receipts of Experienced Housekeepers, Seventh Presbyterian Church of Cincinnati, published 1874.

Practical Receipts of Experienced Housekeepers, Compiled by the Ladies of the Seventh Presbyterian Church, Cincinnati. Published 1874.

Here's another baked strawberry pie recipe, with a Cream (Raspberry or) Strawberry Tart.

Kristin Holt | Victorian America's Strawberries. Strawberry Pie, Strawbery Tart recipes. From Common Sense in the Household; A Manual of Practical Housewifery, published 1879.

Common Sense in the Household; A Manual of Practical Housewifery, Published 1879.

It's no surprise that Strawberry Shortcake remained popular through the turn of the twentieth century.... and beyond!

Kristin Holt | Victorian America's Strawberries. Recipe for Strawberry Shortcake, from The Boston Globe of Boston, Massachusetts. May 8, 1895.

Victorian Strawberry Preserves

Raspberries and Strawberries are magical in that natural fruit pectin causes the cooked fruit and sugar to set up. Made with mashed fruit, jam results. If the pulp is strained and only the juices are jellied, jelly results. Unless we're talking about a jelly. Different thing. Mostly.

Kristin Holt | Victorian America's Strawberries. (Raspberry or) Strawberry Jam Recipe from an 1846 publication: Valuable Receipts, or Secrets Revealed.

Below, Godey's Lady's Book published recipes for Strawberry Preserves, Strawberry Jelly, and Strawberry Jam.

Kristin Holt | Victorian America's Strawberries. Recipes for Strawberry Preserves, Strawberry Jelly, and Strawberry Jam. From Godey's Lady's Book Receipts and Household Hints, published 1870.

Godey's Lady's Book Receipts and Household Hints, Published 1870.

We're cooking fancy now! Below, an 1871 recipe (or receipt) for preserving (notice bottles, but no lids) whole strawberries. They'd be a treat come January.

Mrs. Porter's New Southern Cookery Book, Published 1871.

...including Beverages

Miss Catharine Beecher included the following Royal Strawberry Acid. A tasty beverage for invalids and the well alike.

Kristin Holt | Victorian America's Strawberries. Recipe for Royal Strawberry Acid beverage, from Miss Beecher's Domestic Receipt Book Supplement, published 1846.

Miss Beecher's Domestic Receipt Book, 1846.

Tea and coffee were staples in Victorian America, but that didn't prevent folks from looking for alternatives. Some options were medicinal, others were used out of desperation, and others simply because they tasted good.

Kristin Holt | Victorian America's Strawberries. Substitutes for Tea: Raspberry leaves "make a very good substitute for tea..." The American Family Matron on Practical and Scientific Cooking, published 1851.

Don't forget the Strawberry Wine and Strawberry Cordials!

Kristin Holt | Victorian America's Strawberries. Recipes for Strawberry Wine and also for Strawberry Cordial, both from fresh berries. Published in 1878 in Housekeeping in Old Virginia.

Housekeeping in Old Virginia, published 1878.

Strawberries: To Wash, or Not

Most nineteenth-century cook books and newspaper articles instructed cooks to not wash their berries. Apparently all the flavor would escape in the wash water.

I did find at least one dissenting vote to the no-washing rule.