Phyllis Nan Sortain "Primrose" Pechey (1909–1994), better known as Fanny Cradock, was an English writer, restaurant critic and television cook.
From 1942 Cradock, writing under the name Frances Dale, published a series of romantic novels; she also used the pseudonym as her by-line when she was the editor of the Sunday Graphic, a position she held for four years. In 1948 she, with her partner Major Johnnie Cradock, joined The Daily Telegraph, writing a food and drink column under the nom de plume "Bon Viveur". The columns were published in book form, and the Cradocks produced several works detailing travels around European eateries. From 1955 Cradock began appearing on television either on her own, or with Johnnie. According to her biographer Paul Levy, his character was portrayed as "the subservient sidekick, good only for handing Fanny her frying pan and knowing which wine to serve". According to Eddie Dyja, writing for the British Film Institute, Fanny's onscreen character was, "bossy, [with] no-nonsense delivery, and [an] unusual penchant for glamour".
From 1975 Cradock published a series of ten historical novels set at the fictional "Castle Rising". According to the author's foreword to The Lormes of Castle Rising (1975), when Cradock began writing the book in 1966, she was unaware of the existence of a real Castle Rising in Norfolk. The novels, while fiction, take some inspiration from Cradock's own genealogy; for example, the crest of the Lormes features the same astrolabe as the crest of her Norman ancestor Gilbert de Peche.
Television work
+ Television appearances of Cradock Programme Date Channel Role Notes Kitchen Magic BBC Participant Television Tea Party BBC Participant Fanny's Kitchen – 28 December 1956 ITV Presenter Series 1; 13 episodes BBC Presenter BBC Presenter An evening dress version of the afternoon programme Challenge in the Kitchen BBC Participant Chez Bon Viveur – 23 July 1956 ITV Presenter 13 episodes Bon Viveur: Gala Christmas Dinner BBC Presenter Live broadcast from the Royal Albert Hall Fanny's Kitchen – 4 April 1957 ITV Presenter Series 2; 13 episodes Mainly for Women BBC Participant Lucky Dip: The Junior Newspaper Series – 10 May 1959 ITV Presenter Series 1; 13 episodes The Cradocks – 18 December 1959 ITV Presenter Series 1 Lucky Dip: The Junior Newspaper Series – 29 March 1960 ITV Presenter Series 2; 13 episodes Late Extra – 22 June 1960 ITV Presenter 11 episodes Fanny's Kitchen – 12 May 1961 ITV Presenter Series 3; 13 episodes For Deaf Children BBC Participant Fanny's Kitchen – 17 May 1962 ITV Presenter Series 4; 13 episodes Tuesday Rendezvous , 28 August 1962 and 6 August 1963 ITV Participant Home at One-Thirty BBC Participant Home at One-Thirty BBC Participant The Cradocks – 2 October 1962 ITV Presenter Series 2; 4 episodes Living Today – 7 May 1963 BBC Participant In 14 episodes Beginning to Cook – 15 February 1963 BBC Presenter 6 episodes Kitchen Party – 25 November 1963 BBC Presenter 6 episodes Learning to Cook – 18 January 1964 BBC Presenter 6 episodes Home Cooking – 27 June 1965 BBC Presenter 10 programmes Kitchen Party – 18 August 1965 BBC Presenter 3 programmes Adventurous Cooking with Fanny Cradock – 19 June 1966 BBC Presenter 10 programmes Outlook for Tuesday: Home Cooking – 27 September 1966 BBC Presenter 10 programmes Juke Box Jury BBC Participant Christmas Cooking – 15 December 1966 BBC Presenter 3 programmes Problem Cooking – 30 March 1967 BBC Presenter5 programmes Ten Classic Dishes – 19 March 1968 BBC Presenter 10 programmes Fanny Cradock: Colourful Cookery – 31 December 1968 BBC Presenter 13 episodes Giving A Dinner Party – 26 September 1969 BBC Presenter 13 episodes Fanny Cradock Invites... – 14 October 1970 BBC Presenter 13 episodes Score with the Scaffold BBC Participant The Generation Game BBC Participant Call My Bluff and 24 January 1972 BBC Participant 2 episodes Nationwide: Fanny Cradock Cooks Nationwide Into Europe – 31 May 1972 BBC Participant 7 episodes Password and 20 August 1974 BBC Participant 2 episodes Fanny Cradock Cooks for Christmas – 19 December 1975 BBC Presenter 5 episodes The Big Time "Gwen Troake's Banquet" BBC Participant Pebble Mill at One BBC Participant Windmill BBC Participant The Last Resort with Jonathan Ross Channel 4 Participant
Novels PublicationWriting asYearPublisherPages OCLC Scorpion's Suicide 1942 Hurst and Blackett 232 Women Must Wait Hurst and Blackett 184 Hurst and Blackett 180 1945 Hurst and Blackett 180 My Seed – Thy Harvest 1946 Hurst and Blackett 271 O Daughter of Babylon 1947 Hurst and Blackett 320 Hurst and Blackett 239 Gateway to Remembrance Andrew Dakers 361 Andrew Dakers 276 Hurst and Blackett 221 Hurst and Blackett 208 1975 W. H. Allen & Co. 340 Shadows Over Castle Rising 1976 W. H. Allen & Co. 351 War Comes to Castle Rising 1977 W. H. Allen & Co. 337 Wind of Change at Castle Rising 1978 W. H. Allen & Co. 260 Uneasy Peace at Castle Rising 1979 W. H. Allen & Co. 228 Thunder Over Castle Rising 1980 W. H. Allen & Co. 227 Gathering Clouds at Castle Rising 1981 W. H. Allen & Co. 238 Fateful Years at Castle Rising 1982 W. H. Allen & Co. 288 Defence of Castle Rising 1984 W. H. Allen & Co. 237 Loneliness of Castle Rising W. H. Allen & Co. 220 W. H. Allen & Co. 270
Cookery books PublicationWriting asYearPublisherPagesNotes OCLC 1949 Lehmann 306 Illustrations by Nigel Mould Daily Express Enjoyable Cookery 1951 London Express Newspaper 248 Lehman 416 Illustrations by Evadné Rowan; photographs by Percy Hennell New dishes From The Daily Telegraph Bon Viveur H. A. & W. L. Pitkin 128 Bon Viveur Frederick Muller 96 Co-written with Johnnie Cradock Cooking with Bon Viveur Bon Viveur 1955 Museum Press 127 Bon Viveur Recipes and Johnnie Cradock 1956 104 aka The Daily Mail Cookery Book Bon Viveur Request Cook Book Bon Viveur 1958 Museum Press 127 Mr Therm's Encyclopaedia of Vegetable Cookery Volume 1: Cabbages and Things Bon Viveur 1959 Gas Council 160 Mr Therm's Encyclopaedia of Vegetable Cookery Volume 2: Veg and Vim Bon Viveur 1959 Gas Council 159 Cooking with Can and Pack and Johnnie Cradock 1962 Museum Press 128 Bon Viveur 1964 368 Edited by Alison Leach; illustrated by William S. McCall Fun with Cookery and Johnnie Cradock Edmund Ward 63 Illustrations by Gay Galsworthy; edited by Alison Leach Daily Telegraph Sociable Cook's Book Bon Viveur 1967 400 Illustrations by William Farrow and Frank Missen Coping with Christmas and Johnnie Cradock 1968 Fontana 304 Illustrations by Joan Jefferson Farjeon and Johnnie Cradock 1970 Collins 303 Illustrations by Val Biro Modest but Delicious: an Economical Cookbook for Today Bon Viveur 1973 Arlington Books 85 Common Market Cookery: France Cradock 1973 BBC Books 111 Based on recipes broadcast on the BBC's Nationwide programme Common Market Cookery: Italy Cradock 1974 BBC Books 107 Based on recipes broadcast on the BBC's Nationwide programme 365 Puddings Bon Viveur 1975 187 Cradock 1976 W. H. Allen & Co 254 Illustrations by Val Biro; includes recipes by Agnes Bertha Marshall 365 Soups Bon Viveur 1977 Fanny & Johnnie Cradock's Freezer Book and Johnnie Cradock 1978 W. H. Allen & Co 293 Cooking Is Fun: A Children's Book Cradock 1978 W. H. Allen & Co 134 Illustrations by Kate Simunek and Johnnie Cradock 1979 W. H. Allen & Co 117 and Johnnie Cradock W. H. Allen & Co 336 and Johnnie Cradock W. H. Allen & Co 428 and Johnnie Cradock W. H. Allen & Co 455
Part works, etc PublicationWriting asYearPublisherNotes OCLC Happy Cooking Children Bon Viveur 1959 Putnam Four booklet series, comprising: 1: Beginning to Cook (64 pages) 2: Children's Outdoor Cookery (60 pages) 3: The Young Chef (55 pages) 4: Children's Party Cookery (54 pages) Fanny & Johnnie Cradock Cookery Programme: A Complete Cookery Programme Cradock –1972 Purnell Published in 80 weekly instalments
Children's fiction PublicationWriting asYearPublisherPagesIllustrator OCLC When Michael was Three 1945 Hutchinson's Books for Young People 87 When Michael was Six 1946 Hutchinson's Books for Young People 102 Always. The Enchanted Land Hutchinson's Books for Young People 70 Naughty Red Lion, Beware! Hodder & Stoughton 112 1948 Macdonald 64 Hodder & Stoughton 52 Brigadier Gooseyplum Goes to War Hodder & Stoughton 85 Hodder & Stoughton 96 Hodder & Stoughton 79 Fish Knight and Sea Maiden: A Children's Romance 1952 Hutchinson's Books for Young People 88
Travel books PublicationWriting asYearPublisherPages Notes OCLCor Bon Voyage - How to Enjoy your Holiday in Europe with a Car 1950 John Lehman 182 Illustrations by Val Biro In Quest of Pleasure Bon Viveur 1951 H. A. & W. L. Pitkin 29 Edited with slight adaptations and additions by Wendy Tiquet. Eating in England's Inns Bon Viveur 1951 H. A. & W. L. Pitkin 28 In Search of a Holiday Hotel Bon Viveur 1951 H. A. & W. L. Pitkin Eating Out in London Bon Viveur 1951 H. A. & W. L. Pitkin Around Britain with Bon Viveur Bon Viveur 1952 John Lehman 208 Holiday in the Austrian Tyrol Bon Viveur 1953 Frederick Muller 94 Holiday in Barcelona and the Balearics Bon Viveur 1954 H. A. & W. L. Pitkin 110 Holiday in Holland Bon Viveur 1954 Frederick Muller Bon Viveur's London Bon Viveur 1954 Andrew Dakers Bon Viveur in London Bon Viveur 1954 H. A. & W. L. Pitkin 186 Holiday in Sweden Bon Viveur 1955 Frederick Muller 93 Holiday in Belgium Bon Viveur 1955 Frederick Muller 125 Bon Viveur's London and the British Isles Bon Viveur 1955 Andrew Dakers 256 Holiday in Denmark Bon Viveur 1955 Frederick Muller 125 Holiday in the Touraine Bon Viveur 1956 Frederick Muller 119 Wining and Dining in France with Bon Viveur Bon Viveur 1959 Putman 225 Holiday on the French Riveria Bon Viveur 1960 Frederick Muller 103 Bon Viveur Guide to Holidays in Europe Bon Viveur 1964 Andrew Dakers 498 Edited by Alison Leach
Autobiography Two works, both published under the name Fanny Cradock.
PublicationYearPublisherPages OCLC Something's Burning 1960 Putnam 277 Time to Remember – A Cook for All Seasons 1981 Webb & Bower 160
Cookery books, as contributor PublicationAuthor/EditorYearPublisherPagesNotes OCLC Definitely Different: The Daily Telegraph Recipe Book Unnamed The Daily Telegraph 160 Contributor as Bon Viveur; also includes recipes by Robin Adair, Gretel Beer, Claire Butler, Elizabeth David, Frank Gerrard, Marguerite Patten, Madame Prunier, Egon Ronay and J. M. Scott Come For A Meal: A Woman's Hour Cookery Book 1966 BBC Books 47 Contributor only 1967 Spectator Publications 63 Contains "special recipes by Fanny & Johnnie Cradock" 1971 S. R. Publishers 419 Introduction by Cradock 1973 EP Publishing 599 Translated from the original French by Alphonse Gouffé; introduction by Cradock Wine for Today Cradock 1975 Frederick Muller 198 Introduction by Cradock
Cookery booklets