M Braithwaite
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Mrs M Braithwaite, usually addressed as Cook or cook but sometimes cooky dear is the Blackett family's doting cook at Beckfoot.
[edit] Name and marital status
When Mrs Braithwaite leaves food for the Ds at The Dog's Home (PM16) she writes:
- Hope your makin do. If owts wanting you can tell Jacky.
- M. Braithwaite.
She is mentioned as Mrs Braithwaite in Swallowdalechap no req, but it is not clear if there is a husband.
[edit] An interesting case study
In Arthur Ransome's books, Mrs Braithwaite is sometimes addressed as Cook with an upper-case 'C' (eg PM1) and sometimes as cook with a lower-case 'c' (eg PP6). When she leaves a basket of goodies for the expedition to Kanchenjunga she left a note Love from Cook (giving herself a capital 'C').
Other domestic staff in the Swallows and Amazons series also get the lower case treatment, for example nurse (SA3). This might be an indicator of socioeconomic class: in Racundra's First Cruise, the Cook, warrants a big 'C', possibly indicating her status as engaged to the skipper at the time.
[edit] A (rather complicated) family connection
Mrs Braithwaite's second cousin is married to Tom, brother of Mary Swainson's boyfriend Jack the woodman (SD19).
