Our Celery Days

In John Deane, his adventures by land and sea, by W H G Kingston, I came across the following passage:

It was French prisoner who first observed celery growing wild on rock on which Nottingham Castle stands, Alamon Francaise, and having cultivated it successfully in his own little garden, he made that pleasant edition to English tables, from that time forth common every where throughout the kingdom.

In 1704 the Duke of Marlborough had defeated the French at the battle of Blenheim. Of the captured 13,000 prisoners, a number of French officers, aristocrats and servants were taken to Nottingham. One of the men, Marshal Tallart/Marshall Tallard, was allowed to rent Newdigate House on Castle Gate. He too is cited as the man that brought the stringy foodstuff to our tables after noticing wild celery growing in the Nottingham marshes.  

Whilst celery was not a new discovery, both Francaise and Tallard are credited with making it popular cuisine in England, with others following their taste.

 

Tallard also had a taste for Nottingham women. In 1724-5, Daniel Defoe wrote of him:

They showed us the Gardens of Count Tallard, who, in his Confinement here, after having been taken Prisoner by the renowned Duke of Marlborough, at the glorious Battle of Blenheim, amused himself with making a small but beautiful Parterre, after the French Taste, which happens not to be the reigning one with us at present. ‘Tis said, likewise, that this gallant Gentleman left behind him here some living Memorandums of his great Affection and Esteem for the English Ladies.

Captain John Deane, born in Nottingham in 1679, lived a life full of adventure. He died in his 80s and is buried in the Wilford Churchyard so beloved by Henry Kirke White.