The Arts Society Welwyn Garden visit to the London Canal Museum

The London Canal Museum is housed by the Regent’s Canal near King's Cross. Here we were greeted by volunteer Mandy, dressed as Mrs Marshall, the Victorian “Queen of Ices”.  

Mandy first introduced us to Carlo Gat (1817–1878), a Swiss entrepreneur who brought ice cream to Victorian Londoners and set up a business to bring ice from Norway to an ice well below the building where the Canal Museum is now housed. From here it was dispensed by carts to restaurants throughout London.  

Next Mandy told us about Mrs Agnes Marshall (1852-1905) inventor of the Marshall's Patent Freezer, which we were to see in use. Founder of a cookery school and author of four cookery books, two devoted to ice creams and desserts, Mrs Marshall was as famous to the Victorians as Delia Smith is to us. Mrs Marshall was the first to suggest using liquid nitrogen to freeze ice cream, and invented the bombe mould. 

We joined in putting the ingredients into the churn, which was set into an outer bucket of ice. Milk, cream, sugar and vanilla went in, then two of our group energetically turned the churn and within five minutes produced delicious ice cream for us all to taste.  

The whole experience was delightful and informative, not least because of the enthusiasm of our speaker. Afterwards we toured the exhibits in this small yet fascinating museum, discovering more about life and industry on this canal over the centuries.