I cannot
resist sharing this wonderful 1870’s Christmas season letter to the editor of The Times because it fits so well into
my theme this week of Christmas hampers.
The
letter is a wonderful example of marketing practice gone wrong, of responsibility
for the mistake being assigned and consequent action taken by the employer implied,
of delighted suprise turned to righteous indignation on the part of the
recipient (a minister of the Church, no less), and of the nineteenth century version
of ‘going to the media’ in the case of a dispute. I love it.
“CHRISTMAS HAMPERS”
TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES
Sir.
– I you deem my reply to the purveyor of “The Christmas Hamper” this year of
any use to those who have asked advice how to act in the matter, I shall be obliged
by your insertion of it. It is as follows:-
“From
the Rev. Gerard Bancks, Cobham Vicarage, Surrey, to Mr. A. Fielding, importer
of high class wines, &c, Denbigh-hall, Old Jewry.
“Cob. Vic., Surrey,
Jan. 10, 1877.
“Sir,
- On the 23rd of December, 1876, I received a case containing one
dozen of champagne, addressed to me as above, but without any letter of advice.
On the 5th of January, 1877, I received a letter from you, informing
that the case had been sent by you as a sample, and that the letter of advice
had been delayed owing to the intemperate habits of your ‘late clerk,’ and also
enclosing the delayed letter, dated the 12th or 17th of
December, 1876.
“Assuming
the wine to be a present from some friend, I gladly shared it with friends, and
we enjoyed five bottles out of the dozen before yours of the 4th
inst. came to hand. You will wish to know what I intend to do in the matter, so
I now write to tell you that, under advice, I do not intend to pay one farthing
for those five bottles of wine, nor shall I purchase the remaining seven
bottles or return them; but I must request you send, during the next few days,
a duly authorized agent, whom I will allow to go into my cellar and remove
them, but I will not take myself nor permit anyone in my employ, to take the
very slightest trouble in the matter.
“GERARD BANCKS,
Vicar of Cobham, Surrey.
If
you can find space for my reply to Mr. A. Fielding, you will much oblige,
Yours very faithfully, GERARD BANCKS.
Cobham
Vicarage, Jan. 10
As
the recipe for the day, may I give you Champagne Sauce – once a traditional accompaniment
to ham? I have chosen one from the 1870’s, from the cookery book of Pierre
Blot, a French-born chef and self-styled ‘Professor of Gastronomy’ who moved to
America and founded the New York Cooking Academy. He gives it as a variation of
Madeira Sauce.
Madeira [Sauce]
Mix cold in a saucepan two ounces of butter
with a tablespoonful of flour, set on the fire and stir till it turns rather
brown; when add nearly a pint of gravy, stir till it is becoming thick; then
add half a pint of Madeira wine, little by little, stirring the while, give one
boil only, salt to taste, and then strain and use. Champagne sauce is made in the same way, except that it must be
poured in faster and used immediately. All wine sauces may be made in the same
way. We mean wine sauces for meat or fish.
Handbook of Practical Cookery (New York, 1871) by Pierre
Blot
1 comment:
Good story.
He would, of course, now be protected by the Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000. The goods would legally be his and he could charge the senders for storage. Also any demands for payment would now be illegal.
Under the Consumer Protection Regulations 2000 it is a criminal offence to:
Assert a right of payment for the goods.
Threaten to take legal action with regard the goods.
Threaten to place the recipients name on a 'black-list'.
Invoke or threaten to invoke any collection procedure.
If anyone wantsw ot send me unsolicited champagne, please feel free.
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