Table of Contents
What did convicts eat on Norfolk Island?
Norfolk Island had provisions for 20 months for 44 men and 16 women. First crop failed to germinate. It had been overheated on the journey out and planted in summer….26 January 1788.
| Beef | 7lb or |
|---|---|
| Pork | 4lb |
| Dried peas | 3 pints |
| Bread/flour | 7lb |
| Butter | 6 oz |
What did the convicts eat for breakfast?
Maize is made from corn, which grew in abundance in the early colony and was very cheap. The convicts ground the corn on the dreaded treadmill to make it into cornmeal, a bit like polenta. It was made into ‘hominy’, a type of porridge or gruel for breakfast, with sugar and salt added to make it palatable.
How much food did the convicts get?
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.
What jobs did female convicts have?
Convicts were a source of labour to build roads, bridges, courthouses, hospitals and other public buildings, or to work on government farms, while educated convicts may have been given jobs such as record-keeping for the government administration. Female convicts, on the other hand, were generally employed as domestic …
What did the female convicts wear?
The women wore clothes such as ‘slops’ in blue or brown serge, or a stuff gown, white apron and straw bonnet for Sunday with a jacket and a coarse apron for weekdays. Children remained with their mothers at the Factory until the age of four, at which time they were placed in Orphan Schools.
What kind of food did the convicts eat?
Convicts ate bread,hardtack,salted beef or pork,peas,oatmeal,butter,cheese. They also ate rise,fruit,vegetables. What did the convicts eat for dinner? Convicts called their midday meal ‘ dinner ‘, and they often returned from their worksites to eat it at 1pm.
What did the convicts at Hyde Park Barracks eat?
The ration components altered from time to time, but records show that the convicts living at the Hyde Park barracks between 1819 and 1848 generally received for one week: 7 pounds (3.1 kg) of flour 7 pounds (3.1 kg) beef OR 4 pounds (1.8kg) pork * 3.5 pounds (1.6 kg) maize (corn meal)# 1/2 pound (225 g) of salt 1 pound (455 g)…
What kind of flour did the convicts use?
Rations flour was of a coarse grade of flour which was cheaper than the fine white flour that wealthy people enjoyed. When wheat wasn’t in good supply, maize was used instead, giving the bread a gritty texture.
Why did the convicts steal food from the stores?
Over the years, there were reports of food being stolen by the cooks or storekeepers for themselves, or by the Deputy Superintendent to feed to his pigs. This would have angered the convicts and left them with even less to eat.