Bridal Path - Their story - Our story

Look at the list of food below. This is what food was allowed for each passenger for each week.

The proper division and handing out of food was the responsibility of the ship’s surgeon.

Conversions:

• 1 lb = 500g = 16oz • 4oz = 125g • 8oz = 250g • 12oz = 375g • ½ pint = 300 ml • 1 pint = 600ml • 28 quarts = 31.8 litres • 24 ½ quarts = 27.8 litres • 21 quarts = 23.8 litres

Have a Go

1. What foods do you recognise?
   • Which are strange?
   • How can you find out what the
     strange foods are?
   • Who could you ask?
2. Choose three foods which you think would
   be best for taking on a long journey.
   Important: Refrigeration or freezing foods
   was not possible on ships until the 1880s.
3. Something else is happening: The quantities
   of food allowed vary for the different classes of
   passengers – chief cabin, fore-cabin and steerage.

Find

• A food which chief cabin passengers are allowed more than steerage passengers.
• A food which steerage passengers are not allowed at all.
• A food which is allowed in equal quantities for all classes of passengers.

Weekly Dietary

Articles	Chief Cabin	Fore-Cabin	Steerage
Prime India beef	1lb	1 ½ lb	1lb
Prime mess pork	1 ½ lb	1 ½ lb	1 ½ lb
Preserved meat or fish	1lb	2 1/4lbs	1 ½ lb
Fresh meat- see below
Biscuit	4lbs	3 1/2lb	5 1/4lb
Flour	4lbs	3 ½ lbs	1 ¾ lbs
Rice	½ lb	½ lb	½ lbs
Sago	½ lb	-	-
Preserved potatoes, if obtainable; if not rice to be substituted	¾ lb	¾ lb	¾ lb
Preserved carrots	½ lb	½ lb	-
Peas	½ pint	½ pint	½ pint
Oatmeal	-	½ pint	1 pint
Milk – see below
Raisins	16 oz.	12oz	8oz.
Suet	4oz.	4oz.	4oz.
Butter	8oz.	8oz.	8oz.
Cheese	8oz.	-	-
Sugar	20oz.	16oz.	16oz.
Tea	4oz.	4oz.	4oz.
Coffee	4oz.	4oz.	2oz.
Salt	2oz.	2oz.	2oz.
Pepper	¼ oz	¼ oz	¼ oz
Mustard	½ oz	½ oz	½ oz
Vinegar or pickles	½ pint	½ pint	½ pint
Water	28 quarts	24 ½ quarts	21 quarts

Look what else made life easier…if you were a chief cabin passenger:

“One Sheep, one Pig, and a dozen head of Poultry, will be put on board, in addition to the above, for each Adult Chief-Cabin Passenger, together with an assortment of Spices, Curry Powder, Salad Oil, Herbs and Celery Seed, Sauces, Preserved Fruits, Tamarinds, Apples when in season, Macaroni, and Dried Yeast for making Bread.

A Milch Cow is put on board for the use of the Chief Cabin, and to such invalids as the Surgeon may direct.

…The several Articles of Diet are varied from time to time, so as to promote the health and comfort of the passengers, especially of Children. Every article is of the best quality, and examined by the Inspector before Shipment.”

What about alcohol?

“The Commander of the Vessel is allowed to supply to the Chief and Fore-Cabin Passengers, moderate quantities of Port and Sherry Wine at 3s. per Bottle, and of Ale and Porter at 10d. per bottle; but no Spiritous Liquors are permitted to be sold on board, except under the direction of the Surgeon.”

What children were allowed?

• What do you notice about children aged under one year old?

“…The several Articles of Diet are varied from time to time, so as to promote the health and comfort of the passengers, especially of Children. Every article is of the best quality, and examined by the Inspector before Shipment…

Children of all classes, above the age of one year, receive each one-half of the rations of an Adult; but those of one year old and under seven, receive each a Quarter of a Pint per day of Preserved Milk extra, if directed by the Surgeon, or three Ounces of Sago, in lieu of Salty meat, three times a week. Infants under one year do not receive any rations; but the Surgeon is empowered to direct an Allowance of Water, Flour and Sago, for their use, to be issued to their Mothers…”

Source: Rates of Passage, Weekly Dietary, Memorandum, for Passengers, 28 May 1850, Canterbury Association.
Canterbury Museum Documentary Research Centre

See also >>

Our Journey | Packing – What would you take? | Rich and poor | Are you hungry? | Cockroaches & seasickness | From deck to cabin | A girl’s diary