This is a handwritten recipe found in my old cookbook that dates 1824. This recipe is certainly Victorian in age. The name of this recipe is:

To Stew Pears

Peel 25 nice pears (any cooking sort will do) lay in the bottom of a stewpan with 1 lb loaf sugar. The rind of a lemon cut in thin strips, a little of the juice, with enough liquid cochineal to make it a nice bright color, let them stew slowly 'till down, try them with a silver fork take them up and add about a tablespoonsful of arrowroot mixed with water to the syrup to thicken. do not take off the stems in peeling the pears & keep a little of the syrup in another basin to throw over them when dished.