PUBLIC FOOD KITCHEN.

QUEEN AT THE COUNTER.

In no merely formal way did the Queen set the stamp of her approval upon the first “Kitchen for All,” to be opened under the auspices of the Ministry of Food. Her Majesty, accompanied by the Princess Mary, and attended by Lady Ampthill and Sir E. W. Wallington, spent nearly an hour and a half inaugurating, at 104a, Westminster Bridge-road, a movement which may well have permanent effects upon the domestic economy of the working-classes. On account of the limited space at the kitchen, invitations could only be extended to those who had some official or local interest in the occasion. There were present Lord and Lady Devonport, Lady Rhondda, Mrs. Randall Davidson, the Hon. Mrs. Bathurst (Captain Bathurst, M.P., to his great regret, was detained by his Parliamentary duties and unable to be present), Mr. Kennedy Jones, M.P., and Mrs. Kennedy Jones, Miss Gordon (Domestic Economy Organiser, London County Council), Sir Henry and Lady Row, and the Mayor and Mayoress of Lambeth. Also of the company was the Rev. Max Williams, vicar of St. Thomas’s, Lambeth, the parish of hard-working toilers, from whom the kitchen’s patrons will be largely drawn; while from the great centre opposite of Congregational labour at Christ Church, came the Rev. F. B. Meyer. Mrs. C. S. Peel, upon whom the task of organising the kitchen, in her capacity of one of the lady directors at the Ministry of Food, was there to show all details. Mrs. Adcock, of the Northern Polytechnic, who is in charge of the kitchen generally, Mr. and Mrs. Eustace Miles, Mrs. Houghton Gastrell, Mrs. George May, Mr. and Mrs. Bradley, and Mr. and Mrs. Cox were also present. Outside a very large crowd had gathered, which gave the Queen a rousing welcome, while scores of the children had brought flags to wave with enthusiasm. The Queen on her arrival went first to the kitchens, which are admirably appointed for cooking on a large scale. Gas is used entirely, and it is estimated that fully 3,000 full meals, or some 10,000 portions, can be served daily. Nor did her Majesty omit to go down to the basement, where the stores, with their reserves of block suet, dried fruits, and spices, were also inspected, and even such homely matters as the appliances for cleaning were not passed by. The staff, who are all women, habited in white caps and jackets, with holland skirts, had brought forward the afternoon’s dishes. Hot roast beef, kept upon heaters and well covered after the manner of the City restaurant, would be available at 4d a portion. The vegetables at 1d a portion were stewed onions and baked swedes. For 1½d a substantial helping of either milky rice pudding or rhubarb shape could be bought.

SERVING OUT MEALS.

Very attentively her Majesty watched the procedure at first, but after some half a dozen early-comers had received what they asked for the Queen herself began to take a part in serving them. An olderly granny taking away two portions of rice pudding was fairly aghast when she realised that her basin had been handed back to her by the Queen. The children were of all ages, and some of the younger ones hardly knew what they wanted. To them the Queen soon gave confidence as she leaned over and said. “Now what would you like?” telling the little customer the puddings were close by, or that the meat and vegetables were at the further end. A small boy furtively asked one of the guests if he might give his ticket to Princess Mary, as he would like to do so, and was proud and delighted when her Royal Highness not only took the ticket, but his plate also, and held it while his helping of rhubarb shape was placed upon it. Often and often did her Majesty make a kindly inquiry of the mothers with their babies in their arms, and said, as they took the rice-pudding, that it would be nice for the children.