SINGAPORE, June 1 — Singapore has launched “Screen Smart from the Start” campaign, a nationwide movement to help families foster healthy digital habits from young.

The Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) emphasised that the movement reflects a whole-of-government commitment to supporting parents as they navigate the challenges of raising children in a digital age.

“A survey conducted last year found that only 37 per cent of parents felt confident in their ability to manage their children’s digital activities, and more than half wanted more support.

“To address this, Screen Smart from the Start brings together practical guidance, meaningful offline experiences, and strong community support,” it said in a statement on Sunday.

The campaign was launched by Singapore Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong at the fifth edition of the National Family Festival.

According to MDDI, families can visit bescreensmart.gov.sg to access the full range of resources and activities available and participate in the National Family Festival activities taking place throughout June 2026. — Bernama

 

Manuel Gual posted a photo:

Route 66 Dreams: Classic Cars Across the American Desert

Description

A cinematic visual journey through the mythic atmosphere of Route 66, featuring vintage cars, abandoned gas stations, neon motels, desert highways, red rock landscapes, and golden sunset light. The series blends classic Americana, road trip nostalgia, open-road freedom, and a slightly surreal retro mood, evoking the timeless romance of travel across the American Southwest.

These images were generated by Artificial Intelligence.

Eudaemonius posted a photo:

Eudaemonius posted a photo:

Nancy Beiman gave us a three week notice of the annual “holy day.” The others mostly waited until today. Today comic strips transition from World Press Freedom Day (not mentioned at all) and National Star Wars Day (many references yesterday) to National Cartoonist Day/Cinco de Mayo. Or Inko de Mayo.Lalo Alcaraz and Chip Sansom weren’t […]

Manuel Gual posted a photo:

Route 66 Dreams: Classic Cars Across the American Desert

Description

A cinematic visual journey through the mythic atmosphere of Route 66, featuring vintage cars, abandoned gas stations, neon motels, desert highways, red rock landscapes, and golden sunset light. The series blends classic Americana, road trip nostalgia, open-road freedom, and a slightly surreal retro mood, evoking the timeless romance of travel across the American Southwest.

These images were generated by Artificial Intelligence.

Bright, fresh, and full of flavor, lemons have a way of making any dessert feel extra special, and this collection brings together 40 of my favorite lemon desserts. These are recipes I’ve made, tested, and truly enjoyed sharing over the years. Each one is simple enough to make at home, yet special enough to brighten any day.

From soft and zesty lemon cakes to creamy cheesecakes, delicate tarts, and light, fluffy mousses, this collection has a little bit of everything. Some recipes are perfect for a quick family treat. Others are great when you want to impress guests without too much effort.

I’ve always loved how lemons can transform a dessert, adding that perfect balance of sweetness and tang, making every bite feel fresh and vibrant. Many of these recipes have become favorites in my own kitchen. I often come back to them, especially when I want something uplifting and easy to prepare.

Baking for your family, a celebration, or simply for a quiet moment at home, I hope these lemon desserts bring you as much joy as they’ve brought me.

If you do bake any of these lemon treats, it would make me so happy to see your creations. Please share them and tag me on Instagram. I always enjoy seeing your beautiful bakes and how you bring these recipes to life in your own unique way.

Other collections you may like:

55 Easter Savory Recipes
40 Gorgeous Easter Cakes That Will Make Your Taste Buds Sing
6 Carrot Cake-Inspired Recipes
35 Easy Spring Desserts
20 Easy Easter Cookies to Make this Spring
10 Heavenly Easter Tarts and Pies
35 Strawberry Desserts
35 Mouthwatering Gluten-Free Desserts
25 Delicious Dairy-Free Desserts
60 Easy Budget-Friendly Desserts
40 Refined Sugar-Free Sweet Recipes
15 Easter Sweet Bread Recipes
50 Easter Mini Desserts

The post 40 Irresistible Lemon Desserts for Every Occasion appeared first on Home Cooking Adventure.

Manuel Gual posted a photo:

Route 66 Dreams: Classic Cars Across the American Desert

Description

A cinematic visual journey through the mythic atmosphere of Route 66, featuring vintage cars, abandoned gas stations, neon motels, desert highways, red rock landscapes, and golden sunset light. The series blends classic Americana, road trip nostalgia, open-road freedom, and a slightly surreal retro mood, evoking the timeless romance of travel across the American Southwest.

These images were generated by Artificial Intelligence.

raaen99 posted a photo:

Cavendish Mews is a smart set of flats in Mayfair where flapper and modern woman, the Honourable Lettice Chetwynd has set up home after coming of age and gaining her allowance. To supplement her already generous allowance, and to break away from dependence upon her family, Lettice has established herself as a society interior designer, so her flat is decorated with a mixture of elegant antique Georgian pieces and modern Art Deco furnishings, using it as a showroom for what she can offer to her well heeled clients.

Today is Tuesday and in the kitchen of Lettice’s flat Edith, her maid-of-all-work, and Mrs. Boothby, Lettice’s charwoman* - who has come from her home in Poplar to do all the hard jobs Edith doesn’t do around the flat – are taking tea before commencing on their chores around the flat. Edith is grateful that unlike her previous positions, she does not have to scrub the black and quite chequered kitchen linoleum, nor polish the parquetry floors, not do her most hated job, black lead the stovetop. Mrs. Boothby does them all without complaint, with reliability and to a very high standard. She is also very handy on cleaning and washing up duty with Edith after one of Lettice’s extravagant cocktail parties. Edith’s only complaint is Mrs. Boothby’s heavy smoking in the flat’s kitchen, so whilst Edith takes her tea as she stands at the deal kitchen table cutting tart cases from some freshly made dough, Mrs. Boothby sits in a chair by the slightly ajar door leading from the kitchen out into the back outdoor delivery stairs where she blows at least some of her flumes of grey pungent smoke go as she draws contentedly on her latest cigarette as she peruses The Times and sips her own tea with noisy slurps.

Emblazoned on the front page, the main headline in bold black capital letters reads ‘GENERAL STRIKE** CALLED OFF’, with smaller headlines on individual articles beneath stating ‘Dramatic Peace Visit to Premier – Miners’ Executive Decision’, ‘Miners’ Defeat’ and ‘T.U.C.*** Basis for Renewal of Coal Negotiations’. Behind the upheld broadsheet, curlicues of greyish white smoke drift into a ray of mind morning sunshine pouring through the window, and Mrs. Boothby unleashes one of her heavy, fruity coughs, which causes the newspaper to shake in her hands, crumpling noisily.

Edith sighs. “Thank goodness that’s all over.”

Mrs. Boothby lowers the newspaper and looks quizzically at Edith. “What?” A puff of grey billowing smoke is cast forth from her cracked lips as she speaks. Her thin, pale face, heavy with a myriad of wrinkles and jowls twists questioningly. “Thank goodness what’s over, Edith dearie?”

“That,” Edith replies, nodding her head at The Times front cover as she presses her flower shaped cutter into the dough. “The General Strike.”

“Oh,” Mrs. Boothby acknowledges, shifting the newspaper in her hands so she can glance again at the headlines. “Oh that.”

“You must be pleased it’s over now too, Mrs. Boothby.”

Mrs. Boothby stares at the newspaper print for a few moments, her brow furrowing with concentration, almost as if it is the first time she was made aware of them.

“After all, you were the one who said you didn’t have time for the miners’ strike when it didn’t involve you.”

“Well,” she finally replies, coughing deeply again and clearing her throat. “Well dearie, I must say I’m glad the general disruption’s over, and I can catch the omnibus**** from ‘ome up the top of Tottenham Court Road.”

“Not all the disruption is over,” Edith interrupts Mrs. Boothby. “I am still struggling to get some of the staples for the pantry from Mr. Willison’s grocery*****. I’m only grateful that Hilda had spare flour for me to borrow to make these tarts.”

“Ooooh!” Mrs. Boothby enthuses before drawing on her cigarette again. She exhales another tumble of smoke like a steam shovel****** as she adds, “Luverly! What kind ‘a tarts you makin’, Edith dearie?”

“I’m making jam tarts for Miss Lettice and her guest this afternoon, but I’ll have enough dough spare to make a few treacle tarts for us*******.”

“Oh luverly!” Mrs. Boothby opines again. “I’m quite partial to a sweetheart*******.” She slurps her tea, and then adds, “Especially with me Rosie-Lee*********.”

“Well, you can’t have one now, Mrs. Boothby, but you can have one at lunch,” the young girl picks up the cut out dough and drops it lightly into an empty slot in the greased patty pan**********. “And one to take home, to Ken.” Edith smiles ass she mentions Mrs. Boothby’s grown-up disabled son.

“Ta,” Mrs. Boothby says, before her face crumples. “’Ere! What about a sweetheart for me to take ‘ome ‘n all?”

“I won’t be able to make enough spare for you to take two home, Mrs. Boothby, unless you take home the one I’m offering you with lunch.”

“’Ow many of them jam sweethearts youse makin’ will Miss Lettice ‘n ‘er guests eat, then?”

“It’s Mr. Bruton coming to tea, and he’s very partial to my jam tarts, Mrs. Boothby, so I always need to make extra.”

“Couldn’t ya make a nice give ’n take, instead?”

“A what, Mrs. Boothby?” Edith asks as she glances with wide eyes at the older woman.

“A give ’n take – cake, Edith dearie. Couldn’t cha make ‘em a cake instead?”

“Oh!” Edith chuckles as she understands a new piece of Cockney rhyming slang. “Oh no, Mrs. Boothby. A cake would require even more flour, and eggs too, which seem to be in short supply at Mr. Willison’s just now, as well as flour.”

“Yes, we was ‘it pretty ‘ard by food shortages in Poplar too.” Mrs. Boothby replies, nodding sagely. “’N far worse than ‘ere, I reckon, if a few eggs ‘n some flour all youse got to complain about.”

“Oh, I don’t doubt it, Mrs. Boothby. The East End always seems to have less of everything.”

“Except poverty and illnesses.” the old Cockney remarks wryly. “But as we’s all used to it in Poplar, so we knew we couldn’t rely on the government to ‘elp us. We ‘ad ter ‘elp ourselves***********.”

“What did you do, Mrs. Boothby?” Edith pauses in her task to listen to the older woman.

“Nahw, don’t you worry your pretty little ‘ead ‘bout Ken ‘n me, Edith dearie.” Mrs. Boothby lets the paper drip into her lap and wags the index finger of her left hand at Edith. “We done alright, Ken ‘n me.” She smiles wistfully. “I guess we’s ‘ardened by the lean times we’ve ‘ad over the years, so I’m like a squirrel,” She pauses for a moment and considers. “Nah, I’m probably more a rat than a squirrel, scavenging about places I clean up ‘ere in the West End where so much good food goes to waste, that I manage to keep a bit of food stocked by for a rainy day. Plus me and Lil Conway next door – you remember Lil don’t cha, Edith dearie?”

“Yes Mrs. Boothby, I remember your neighbour, Mrs. Conway. She’s the one you give the remnants of soap bars to, to wash the clothes and bodies of the children she looks after for the people around you.”

“That’s ‘er, Edith love!” Mrs. Boothby smiles warmly. “She’ll be chuffed that you remember ‘er. Anway, we pooled resources, as she tries to keep a bit of food aside for a rainy day too, so we didn’t starve, nor go wivvout much.”

“Well, I’m relieved to hear that, Mrs. Boothby. I’d imagine Ken would be beside himself if he didn’t get enough food, and he’d make trouble for you.”

“That ‘e would, dearie.” Mrs. Boothby chuckles. “You know my Ken so well nahw, don’t cha? You got a soft spot for ‘im ‘n all.” She wags her finger admonishingly at the young maid. “Spoil ‘im you do. Books to read and treacle sweethearts what ta ‘ave wiv ‘is tea.”

“I know Mrs. Boothby,” Edith admits. “But I can’t help it. I enjoy it.”

“I know you do, Edith dearie, but one day you’ll ‘ave other littluns what you’ll be wantin’ to spoil, ‘specially once youse married.”

“Shhhh!” Edith cries, raising her finger to her lips.

The old Cockney woman leaps in her seat and nearly spills some tea on the black and white chequered linoleum floor of the kitchen. The brittle ashy end of her cigarette breaks off and scatters on the floor instead.

“I still haven’t told Miss Lettice about that,” Edith whispers back. ‘And I don’t want her to know until Frank and me have set a date .”

“Sorry Edith dearie.” Mrs. Boothby replies in a hushed hiss. Then, clearing her throat a little awkwardly she returns to normal volume with another fruity cough as she changes the subject. “Anyway, goin’ back to Miss Lettice and her guests, well, they’s greedy buggers, scoffin’ the lot of tarts like that.” The old cockney mutters and shakes her head as she stubs out her cigarette in the black Bakelite************ ashtray.”

“You can say what you like, Mrs. Boothby,” Edith replies, sighing with relief as she watches the older woman snuff out her cigarette. “But Miss Lettice is my mistress. She must come first.” Her shoulders slump as she watches Mrs. Boothby fish out another rolled cigarette from the pocket on the front of her colourful floral printed pinny. “It’s the natural order of things.”

“Yes,” Mrs. Boothby hisses from between her teeth as she holds her cigarette between her lips whilst she fetches out her box of Swan Vestas*************, striking a match to then light her second cigarette. “The natural order. Them what’s got plenty first and then us last.”

“Now you’re starting to sound like Frank, Mrs. Boothby.” Edith chuckles. “Don’t tell me that the General Strike has turned you into a radical! I don’t know if I could manage Frank, Hilda, and you, Mrs, Boothby.”

Mrs. Boothby draws pleasurably upon her lit cigarette, making the embers on the end glow and the thin cigarette paper crackle as more of it is consumed by her sucking upon it. She then snorts two plumes of acrid smoke down her nostrils as she chuckles herself. “Na! I ain’t no radical, Edith dearie.” She pauses and reflects on the headlines again. “But I’ll tell you what I do fink.”

“And what’s that, Mrs. Boothby?”

Edith busies herself rolling out the last bit of pastry to try and fill an extra empty round in her patty pan to make a full tray of twelve, and thereby be able to send Mrs. Boothby home with two treacle tarts.

“Well, I may not get into all this political stuff, not ‘avin’ the vote************** to ‘ave my say, but, I think the Conservative government*************** behaved appallingly towards the poor miners, and I ain’t got no admiration for Mr. Baldwin no more****************. ‘E done wrong by them, ‘is own people, by not makin’ any concessions to ‘em. “Ow’s ‘e like to work longer ‘ours for nuffink. No wonder they’s still strikin’ up north, even if we ain’t dahwn ‘ere in London.”

“Yes, Frank has expressed the same opinion.” Edith unscrews a jar of strawberry jam and begins to drop a heaped teaspoon full into each of the prepared tart cases. “And I don’t think he’s wrong. I feel for their plight as well. As you say, Mrs. Boothby, working for longer and being paid less is nothing short of unfair. All the same, I do feel that the General Strike was too much.”

“Too much, Edith dearie?”

“Yes, Mrs. Boothby.” Edith replies resolutely. “I firmly believe that, as a general rule, we are law aboding citizens, otherwise how could we have an Empire on which the sun never sets*****************? I think that the strikers went too far and created too much disruption in attempting to force the government's hand******************.”

“Well, you may be right ‘bout some of that, Edith dearie, but I’ll tell you somefink else. Our local Whig******************* member for Towers ‘Amlets********************, Mr. Charlie Hatchett better watch out where ‘e goes in ‘is constituency. ‘E ain’t too popular dahwn Poplar way right about nahw.”

“Whyever not, Mrs. Boothby?”

“Well, it’s not like ‘e did anyfink to ‘elp the poor miners. They’s in a worse position nahw than they was before the strike.”

“But that’s not Mr. Hatchett’s fault, Mrs. Boothby. His party is in opposition, so doubtless Mr. Baldwin and his government overruled any attempts he made to defend the workers.”

Mrs. Boothby tuts and shakes her head. “Well, people round my way reckon ‘e’s a bit on the nose now, and ‘e ain’t no man of the people like ‘e campaigned on. If I could vote, I wouldn’t vote for ‘im right nahw, an’ that’s a fact.” She nods seriously as her mouth thins to become a mean little line dividing her upper and lower parts of her wrinkled face.

“Well,” Edith says as she finishes her spooning of jam into the tart cases and opens the tin of treacle and begins to spoon the thick and gooey golden sugary stuff into the remaining four empty cases. “I think that no matter what has or hasn’t happened, the sooner life returns to normal in the aftermath of the Great Strike, the happier I’ll be, and that’s a fact. I have a life to get on with, and I’d prefer to live it in peace and harmony.”

“And enough flour to make an extra treacle tart for me to take ‘ome.” Mrs. Boothby adds, stubbing out the end of her last cigarette.

Proudly Edith lifts the tray of twelve tarts off the scrubbed pine surface of the kitchen table and holds it up for Mrs. Boothby to see. In the patty pan there are eight strawberry tarts with fluted edges and four treacle tarts, also with fluted edges.

“Cor!” Mrs. Boothby gasps. “You’ve dunnit Edith dearie! You managed to make me an extra treacle sweetheart!”

Edith smiles at Mrs. Boothby proudly. “Only just, Mrs. Boothby, but I managed.”

“Luverly!” Mrs. Boothby enthuses as she looks at the tarts with hungry eyes.

*A charwoman, chargirl, or char, jokingly charlady, is an old-fashioned occupational term, referring to a paid part-time worker who comes into a house or other building to clean it for a few hours of a day or week, as opposed to a maid, who usually lives as part of the household within the structure of domestic service. In the 1920s, chars usually did all the hard graft work that paid live-in domestics would no longer do as they looked for excuses to leave domestic service for better paying work in offices and factories.

**The 1926 General Strike was a nine-day nationwide stoppage in the United Kingdom between the third and twelfth of May. It was called by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) to support over a million coal miners facing wage cuts and longer hours. Following "Black Friday" in 1921, miners faced a lockout after refusing "not a penny off the pay, not an hour on the day" wage reductions and longer hours. About one point seven million workers paralysed transport, printing, and heavy industries temporarily. Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin's Conservative government declared a state of emergency, using volunteers and the military to maintain essential supplies and transport. The government produced the British Gazette to counter the strikers' message. The TUC ended the strike on May the twelfth, 1926, fearing it was moving toward a revolutionary, anti-democratic action. The miners remained locked out until the autumn, eventually accepting lower pay and longer hours, without securing any concessions.

***The Trades Union Congress (TUC) is the national umbrella organization for trade unions in the United Kingdom, representing the majority of affiliated unions and millions of workers. Founded in 1868, and playing a major role in the 1926 General Strike, the TUC acts as the voice of British trade unionism, lobbying government, campaigning for worker rights, and fostering unity among workers. The TUC played a crucial role in forming the Labour Representation Committee in 1900, which later became the Labour Party in the United Kingdom.

****An omnibus is the original Nineteenth Century term for a large horse-drawn carriage or bus, meaning it was for all people. Being a Victorian, even though my the 1920s, buses were generally known as motor buses, with the horse-drawn variety long since replaced with petrol powered ones, Mrs. Boothby would have been likely to have continued to call them omnibuses because that was what she would have called them in her youth.

*****The General Strike was short lived, lasting only nine days, so there were not lasting food shortages in London in the immediate aftermath of the strike. Whilst transport was crippled and food deliveries were disrupted during the strike, the government’s emergency measures, including the establishment of regional food control officers in 1925 and military-escorted supply convoys during the strike, prevented severe food shortages. There were however, unavoidable disruptions to supply chains as life and deliveries returned to normal, so whilst there were not food shortages as such, there were some products and foodstuffs that were less available in the days following the General Strike.

******A steam shovel is a large, steam-powered excavating machine invented by William Otis in 1839, designed to dig and move massive amounts of soil or rock. Popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, these machines used cable-operated buckets and were essential for building railways, canals, and mining, eventually being replaced by diesel shovels in the 1930s.

*******Treacle tarts are enjoyed across society today, but they had their roots as a thrifty, lower-class staple before becoming a universally beloved British gastronomic classic. Because they were made from simple ingredients—bread, golden syrup, and pastry—they were a popular, high-calorie, and inexpensive treat. The lower classes in the 1920s—particularly working-class families in urban areas—often had high-calorie and high-fat diets, but these diets were typically low in essential vitamins and variety, often described as "deficient" rather than nutritious. Whilst the affluent began embracing a more "moderate," health-focused diet during this period, the poor relied on calorie-dense, inexpensive fillers to keep hunger at bay and give them strength to perform hard work.

********Sweetheart is rhyming Cockney slang for a tart.

*********Rosie-Lee is Cockney slang for tea, and it is one of the most well-known of all Cockney rhyming slang.

**********A patty pan is a small, shallow, and often scalloped-edged baking tin or paper cup used for making individual, bite-sized pastries, jam tarts, fairy cakes, or savoury patties. Historically, these pans were designed for small savory "patties" or pastries, but are now widely used for baking delicate sweets like mince pies, mini tarts, and butterfly cakes.

***********During the 1926 General Strike, East Enders faced more acute food shortages than places like the West End of the city. Therefore, citizens relied on local community and solidarity, for organising and distributing food, often done through strike committees, which generally implemented a system based on need. Workers took control of food distribution (like milk), while the government used the army to escort lorries.

************Bakelite, was the first plastic made from synthetic components. Patented on December 7, 1909, the creation of a synthetic plastic was revolutionary for its electrical nonconductivity and heat-resistant properties in electrical insulators, radio and telephone casings and such diverse products as kitchenware, jewellery, pipe stems, children's toys, and firearms. A plethora of items were manufactured using Bakelite in the 1920s and 1930s.

*************Swan Vestas is a brand name for a popular brand of ‘strike-anywhere’ matches. Shorter than normal pocket matches they are particularly popular with smokers and have long used the tagline ‘the smoker’s match’ although this has been replaced by the prefix ‘the original’ on the current packaging. Swan Vestas matches are manufactured under the House of Swan brand, which is also responsible for making other smoking accessories such as cigarette papers, flints and filter tips. The matches are manufactured by Swedish Match in Sweden using local, sustainably grown aspen. The Swan brand began in 1883 when the Collard & Kendall match company in Bootle on Merseyside near Liverpool introduced ‘Swan wax matches’. These were superseded by later versions including ‘Swan White Pine Vestas’ from the Diamond Match Company. These were formed of a wooden splint soaked in wax. They were finally christened ‘Swan Vestas’ in 1906 when Diamond merged with Bryant and May and the company enthusiastically promoted the Swan brand. By the 1930s ‘Swan Vestas’ had become ‘Britain’s best-selling match’.

**************The Representation of the People Act of 1918 granted the right to vote to women over thirty years of age who met minimum property qualifications (such as being a householder or married to one) or were university graduates. This enfranchised approximately eight and a half million women. However, women like Edith and Mrs. Boothby, not being property owners did not receive the vote until the Representation of the People (Equal Franchise) Act was introduced by government in 1928. This bill lowered the voting age for women to twenty-one, regardless of marital status or wealth, finally giving them the vote on the same terms as men.

***************In 1926, the United Kingdom was governed by the Conservative Party, led by Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin. Baldwin’s second ministry (1924–1929) held power during the 1926 general strike, and the nation was under the reign of King George V.

****************In working-class areas of London, such as Hackney and Poplar, there was strong sympathy post the General Strike for the miners, who were seen as having been treated "abominably" by mine owners. Many recognised that if the miners' pay was cut, other workers would be next. When the Trades Union Congress (TUC) called off the strike on May 12, 1926, without securing a deal, many supporters in London felt a sense of "disbelief, then anger". This was seen as a "betrayal" of the miners by their own leaders. Despite the strike’s collapse, support did not vanish. Sympathy shifted from active industrial action to supporting the miners and their families, who were left to survive on their own until November, facing severe hardship.

*****************Although not exclusively, the term an “Empire on which the sun never sets” most commonly is used when referring to the vast British dominion covering nearly a quarter of the earth's landmass, including India, Australia, Canada, and large parts of Africa, making the phrase literally true due to worldwide time zones.

******************Many ordinary Londoners, despite their sympathy, believed that while the miners' situation was dire, the strikers had gone too far in attempting to force the government's hand. The general sentiment was that the strike was a "noble fight" in theory but a "futile gesture" that ended in a major, and sometimes bitter, defeat for the workers.

*******************Historically, the British Liberal Party evolved from the Whigs. While Tories became the Conservative Party, the Whigs merged with radicals and Peelites in the 1850s to form the Liberals. The Whigs championed constitutional government and, over time, progressive reform, distinguishing them from the traditionally conservative Tories.

********************The London constituency of Tower Hamlets includes such areas and historic towns as (roughly from west to east) Spitalfields, Whitechapel, Bethnal Green, Wapping, Shadwell, Mile End, Stepney, Limehouse, Old Ford, Bow, Bromley, Poplar, and the Isle of Dogs (with Millwall, the West India Docks, and Cubitt Town), making it a majority working class constituency in 1925 when this story is set. Tower Hamlets included some of the worst slums and societal issues of inequality and poverty in England at that time.

This comfortable domestic kitchen scene is a little different to what you might think, for whilst it looks very authentic, it is made up entirely of 1:12 size dollhouse miniatures from my miniatures collection.

Fun things to look for in this tableau include:

The eggs, including the those broken in the bowl are all 1:12 artisan miniatures with amazing attention to detail.

On Edith’s deal table is a floured wooden chopping board on which she has rolled her dough, and is now busily cutting out flower shaped rounds with her cutter to create fluted tart cases in the patty pan to the left of the tray. Both pieces are 1:12 miniature artisan pieces made in the United Kingdom by an unknown artist. I acquired them from Kathleen Knight’s Doll’s House Shop in the United Kingdom. The blue and white pottery shell shaped spoon rest and the “enamel handled” spoon in the foreground. The tin of Macfie’s Finest Black Treacle, two jars of P.C. Flett and Company jam, are also 1:12 artisan miniatures made by Little Things Dollhouse Miniatures in Lancashire, with great attention to detail paid to their labels and the shapes of their jars and cans. There is a jar of Golden Shred Marmalade and Hale’s honey on the counter in the background which also come from Little Things Dollhouse Miniatures.

Robert Andrew Macfie sugar refiner was the first person to use the term Golden Syrup in 1840, a product made by his factory, the Macfie sugar refinery, in Liverpool. He also produced black treacle.

P.C. Flett and Company was established in Kirkwall in the Orkney Islands by Peter Copeland Flett. He had inherited a small family owned ironmongers in Albert Street Kirkwall, which he inherited from his maternal family. He had a shed in the back of the shop where he made ginger ale, lemonade, jams and preserves from local produce. By the 1920s they had an office in Liverpool, and travelling representatives selling jams and preserves around Great Britain. I am not sure when the business ceased trading.

Golden Shred orange marmalade still exists today and is a common household brand both in Britain and Australia. It is produced by Robertson’s. Robertson’s Golden Shred recipe perfected since 1874 is a clear and tangy orange marmalade, which according to their modern day jars is “perfect for Paddington’s marmalade sandwiches”. Robertson’s marmalade dates back to 1874 when Mrs. Robertson started making marmalade in the family grocery shop in Paisley, Scotland.

Edith’s Windsor chair is a hand-turned 1:12 artisan miniature which came from America. Unfortunately, the artist did not carve their name under the seat, but it is definitely an unmarked artisan piece.

In the background you can see a very modern and up-to-date 1920s gas stove. It would have been expensive to instal at the time, and it would have been the cook’s or maid’s pleasure to cook on and in. It would have included a thermostat for perfect cooking and without the need of coal, it was much cleaner to feed, use and clean. It is not unlike those made by the Roper Stove Company in the 1920s. The Roper Stove Company previously named the Florence-Wehrle Company among other names, was founded in 1883. Located in Newark, Ohio, the company was once the largest stove producer in the world. Today, the Roper Stove Company is a brand of Whirlpool.

The bright brass kettle on the stove comes from a miniature specialist stockist overseas.

On the bench in the background is a toaster: a very modern convenience for a household even in the early 1920s, but essential when there was no longer a kitchen range on which to toast the bread. Although toasters had been readily available since the turn of the century, they were not commonplace in British kitchens until well after the Great War in the late 1930s. Next to the toaster is a biscuit barrel painted in the style of English ceramic artist Clarice Cliff which is a hand painted 1:12 miniature made by Karen Ladybug Miniatures in England. It contains its own selection of miniature hand-made chocolate biscuits! Next to that stands a bread crock which is part of the same set from which the flour canister in the foreground comes from. The white porcelain teapot is covered with a snig fitting tea cosy, which has been hand knitted in fine lemon, blue and violet wool. It comes easily off and off and can be as easily put back on as a real tea cosy on a real teapot. It comes from a specialist miniatures stockist in the United Kingdom.

Eudaemonius posted a photo: