When speculation grew that a reigning British monarch would step down from the throne, it jeopardised the publication of a cookbook organised by one of Australia's largest community associations.

Key points: The CWA prepared a cookery book to celebrate the coronation of King Edward VIII

The CWA prepared a cookery book to celebrate the coronation of King Edward VIII Speculation of the king's abdication threw the publication into doubt

Speculation of the king's abdication threw the publication into doubt Community cookbooks have played an important role in fundraising around Australia

After King George V died in 1936, people in the Commonwealth prepared to celebrate the reign of his son, Edward VIII.

The Country Women's Association (CWA) New South Wales branch decided to compile a publication titled The Coronation Cookery Book.

They planned to publish it in time for the official crowning of the new king.

Then one of the greatest scandals hit the British Royal family.

Speculation emerged that the king would abdicate the throne to marry an American divorcee, Wallis Simpson, author Liz Harfull said.

"[The CWA] became quite concerned that there would be no coronation and they would have to, at the very least, change the title of their cookbook," she said.

Cookbook renaming dilemma

The Country Women's Association has a long tradition of selling community recipe cookbooks for fundraising. ( Supplied: Liz Harfull )

The CWA's long tradition of selling community cookbooks has contributed to its fundraising efforts ever since its beginnings almost a century ago.

"They were obviously planning to leverage the great publicity in the Commonwealth and around the globe to help their sales and capture the excitement of that time," Ms Harfull said.

Illustrations of small golden-coloured crowns are featured on the cover of the book's first edition. ( Supplied: Liz Harfull )

The association's state president, Jessie Sawyer, brought up the issue at a town meeting in Grenfell in November 1936.

The local newspaper reported Ms Sawyer told the crowd the publication could no longer be titled The Coronation Cookery Book, calling for other name suggestions.

Fortunately for the association, British authorities later announced that the King's younger brother would take the throne and a coronation would go ahead as planned.

"The CWA no doubt heaved a sigh of relief and kept going with their plans," Ms Harfull said.

The book was published with more than 200,000 copies sold when the last edition came out in 2006.

Dedication to publication

More than 200,000 copies of the Coronation Cookery Book have been sold throughout 16 editions. ( Supplied: Liz Harfull )

Another dedicated contributor to the book was Moree woman Sarah Moore-Simms.

Ms Simms had collected recipes for a considerable time before the CWA executive committee nominated her for the role.

But she struggled with her health during the project.

"She was seriously ill and in pain," Ms Harfull said.

"But she took on the quite formidable task of wrestling the recipes together and was working on the proof of the book right up till it launched."

Ms Moore-Simms lived long enough to see the book published but five months after its release she died at the age of 57.

The role of community cookbooks

Ms Harfull's publication, Tried Tested and True, explores the recipes and stories behind Australian community cookbooks, a tradition which dates back to the 1890s.

"I was drawn to them because they are the kind of cookbooks that my mother, and my grandmother and most women of their generations, relied on for recipes in the days before celebrity chefs and online recipe indexes," the Adelaide-based writer said.

Liz Harfull's publication Tried, Tested and True has been shortlisted for a Gourmand World Cookbook Award. ( Supplied: Liz Harfull )

The publications have helped raise funds for a range of causes from hospitals, boy scout groups, sporting clubs, to war efforts.

"Some of these books have been influencing what we eat at home for more than a century and many are still in print," Ms Harfull said.