Food Glorious Food! Where would we be without it. The production and consumption of food has always played an important role in the history of New South Wales. This gallery shows a selection of State archives that highlight what we have been eating in the home and on show.
Bon appetit!
Starvation in 1788
When the First Fleet arrived in 1788 it faced starvation in the first few years. Many of the convicts had no knowledge of farming techniques and the tools and seeds brought over from Enlgand proved to be unsuitable for Australian conditions. In December 1790 Governor Phillip was quick to herald the first successful harvest in the Colony of 25 bushels of barley. James Ruse and John Macarthur were among some of the early success stories of cultivating the land. Macarthur went on to lead the way in the establishment of the sheep industry, the Colony’s first export.
Food rations
Rationing was a necessity for many years. Convicts and soldiers received a weekly ration of:
7 pounds of beef or 4 pounds of pork
7 pounds of bread or flour
3 pints peas
6 oz of butter
1/2 pound of rice or flour (from HRA vol. 1, p.44)
Tea, sugar and tobacco were regarded as indulgences and could be withheld for bad behaviour.
Rations for female convicts
At the Female Factory at Parramatta, each woman was given a weekly ration of:
7 pounds of bread
3.5 pounds of fresh meat
1 pound sugar
2 oz tea (from Convict Guide, p.90)
These rations don’t seem much when you consider that many of these convicts were taking part in hard physical labour such as road gangs. Rationing for convicts continued until the 1840s.
Farming industry
The farming industry and food culture expanded greatly from the 1850s onwards as more immigrants arrived in the Colony from all over the world. Many of the dinner and lucheon menus that have survived from the 1920s and 1930s though, have a decidely french or english feel.
List of images (by record series) used in this Gallery
- use the links below for larger versions
Agriculture Department, Original illustrations published in Agricultural Gazette [NRS 211]
The Art of Food – Food Glorious Food!
Food Glorious Food! Where would we be without it. The production and consumption of food has always played an important role in the history of New South Wales. This gallery shows a selection of State archives that highlight what we have been eating in the home and on show.
Bon appetit!
Starvation in 1788
When the First Fleet arrived in 1788 it faced starvation in the first few years. Many of the convicts had no knowledge of farming techniques and the tools and seeds brought over from Enlgand proved to be unsuitable for Australian conditions. In December 1790 Governor Phillip was quick to herald the first successful harvest in the Colony of 25 bushels of barley. James Ruse and John Macarthur were among some of the early success stories of cultivating the land. Macarthur went on to lead the way in the establishment of the sheep industry, the Colony’s first export.
Food rations
Rationing was a necessity for many years. Convicts and soldiers received a weekly ration of:
Tea, sugar and tobacco were regarded as indulgences and could be withheld for bad behaviour.
Rations for female convicts
At the Female Factory at Parramatta, each woman was given a weekly ration of:
These rations don’t seem much when you consider that many of these convicts were taking part in hard physical labour such as road gangs. Rationing for convicts continued until the 1840s.
Farming industry
The farming industry and food culture expanded greatly from the 1850s onwards as more immigrants arrived in the Colony from all over the world. Many of the dinner and lucheon menus that have survived from the 1920s and 1930s though, have a decidely french or english feel.
List of images (by record series) used in this Gallery
- use the links below for larger versions
Agriculture Department, Original illustrations published in Agricultural Gazette [NRS 211]
Colonial Secretary, Main series of letters received [NRS 897]
Colonial Secretary, Copies of letters sent and received [NRS 938]
Education Department, Subject bundles [NRS 3830]
Government Printing Office, Commonwealth Celebration functions [NRS 4473]
Government Printing Office, Samples [NRS 4474]
Department of Health, Oilmen’s sundries [NRS 5023]
Premier’s Department, Programmes and menus [NRS 12160]
Parramatta Training Schools for Girls, Diet book [NRS 14743]
Education Department, Photographic Collection [NRS 15051]
State Rail Reference publications [NRS 17514]
RNICG Murrurundi Police Station
Research by
Suzanne Upton, Archivist Public Access
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