Glamour and the Hostess. A Guide to Canadian Table Setting, c. 1950

Gladys Watson started out teaching what used to be called household science but then began writing for the Toronto Star in 1934.  However, the paper thought that her name was too similar to other contributors, particularly beauty editor Gladys Glad. So, Watson combined her two grandmothers' names into her nom de plume:  Marie Holmes.  Under this pseudonym she wrote a regular feature, "Cooking Chat," for the Star before becoming Food Editor for the Paper.  She left in 1947 to assume the position of Director of the "Chatelaine Institute," (part of Chatelaine magazine) where she remained until 1956.  She passed away in 1974.

Ottawa Citizen, September 4, 1947

Glamour and the Hostess was published, probably in the early 1950's, by Northumbria Sterling Silver of Toronto.  It likely came with silver flatware sets made by this company.  A comment on the web mentions that one of the company's products was advertised as "The Solid Silver You Buy At Home-Your Way" and that the silverware was distributed by the makers of Wear-Ever aluminum cookware.  Anyway, google maps shows Northumbria's former location as a boarded-up building.

Marie Holmes' advice from over half-a-century ago is for an era long past, Canada's version of the Downton Abbey lifestyle.  Below, some excerpts: