active 1670 Hannah Woolley

Born around 1622, Hannah Woolley became one of the best-known English writers on cookery and household management in the seventeenth century. She is remembered for turning practical domestic knowledge into successful books, helping shape a tradition of printed advice for women on running a household.

Her works covered far more than recipes. They included guidance on medicine, childcare, etiquette, and everyday domestic life, reflecting how wide-ranging a housewife’s responsibilities were in her time. She also supported the education of women and is associated with running a school in Hackney.

Woolley’s importance lasts well beyond her own era. She is often seen as one of the first women in England to make a career from writing practical books, and her work offers a vivid window into daily life, food, and women’s knowledge in the seventeenth century.