The committee for the School of Cookery in London in connection with the International Exhibition, has resolved to have one hundred recipes prepared for cooking in the best way one hundred dishes particularly suited to the all classes with incomes not exceeding £500 a year; such dishes to be the subject of demonstration in the school.

Illustrated London News, February 15th, 1873

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Cookery and Cooking Schools —The National School of Cookery, Exhibition-road, South Kensington, commenced its work in the year 1873 under the title of the Popular School of Cookery, and was located in the building of the International Exhibition of that year. At the close of the International Exhibition the commissioners granted to the executive committee of the National School of Cookery the temporary use, free of rent, of that portion of the building already occupied by it, together with some more space for an additional kitchen and offices. Up to the present time it has not been found possible for the school to provide its own premises, and therefore the use of the exhibition building is continued to it. Lectures and demonstrations are now given daily in this school by students going through a course of training as teachers. Cooks and others are instructed in all branches of cookery, and lessons can be had singly or in a course. The public are admitted to see the school at work every afternoon, except Saturday, between three and four o'clock. The Crystal Palace classes for cookery and domestic economy were commenced in the Ladies' Division of the School of Art, Science, and Literature in the year 1875. On the removal of the school to its present position in the tropical department of the palace, Miss Mary Hooper was entrusted with the formation of a new series of classes for instruction in cookery and every branch of domestic economy. These classes have been continued to the present time The instruction is given by practical illustrations, and is designed for ladies, from a lady's point of view, and not for the training of servants. It includes all that is necessary to make home comfortable and attractive, and a lady accomplished ruler of her own house. At each cookery lesson, two or more dishes are prepared which are tasted by the students. At this school single lessons are not given, and the number of students received for each course is limited.

Charles Dickens (Jr.), Dickens's Dictionary of London, 1879

see also Cassell's Household Guide - click here

COOKERY (THE NATIONAL TRAINING SCHOOL OF), 72-78, Buckingham Palace-rd, S.W. - First established at South Kensington in 1874, for training students to be teachers of cookery as a branch of domestic economy. Training fees for teachers, full cookery diploma, £40; for the limited diploma recognised by the Board of Education, £12 12s.

Charles Dickens Jr. et al, Dickens Dictionary of London, c.1908 edition
(no date; based on internal evidence)