A story of spoons digs up an old memory of The Grange, Whitbourne

A while back, I posted an article on tablespoons, which prompted this note from Edwina Suley of Carbonear.

My mother worked at The Grange in Whitbourne and was a housekeeper, a cook’s assistant, sometimes the cook and general all 'round maid there. As for the work there, it was a joy she told me, since Fraser Bond was only there for short intervals, otherwise it was just mom and the head housekeeper. When Fraser was at The Grange there was always the round of dinners and entertaining. So she learned much about the etiquette of serving food. As a young wife and then a mother, she brought all of this knowledge to our meagre household.

About the spoons with the bowl shape, I learned from my mother that these were used specifically for cream soups. Soup was always to be spooned away from you. To spoon the last remaining soup from the bowl one very subtley placed the forefinger near the rim close to you and ever so slightly tipped the bowl away from you. Thank you for taking me back to all of the wonderful stories my mother told me....all because of a spoon you have made my day. Thank you.

The Grange was Sir Robert Bond's home in Whitbourne. Image above courtesy of the Centre for Newfoundland Studies Archives (Coll - 237), Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland.  You can read a bit more about the house on the Town of Whitbourne website.