Lobsters bred in such abundance around Britain's coastline that they were fed to prisoners and orphans or ground up for fertilizer; servants sought written agreements from their employers that they would not be served lobster more than twice a week.
In Bill Bryson's book "At Home: A Short History of Private Life," he highlights the historical abundance of lobsters along Britain's shores. During this time, lobsters were so plentiful that they were often fed to the less fortunate, including prisoners and orphans. Their surplus led to them being used for fertilizers as well, illustrating their lowly status in society.
Additionally, the perception of lobsters changed significantly over time. Servants often negotiated with employers to limit their lobster consumption to twice a week, indicating that even as circumstances changed, lobsters remained a food that was not highly valued in the household menu.
