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Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition (1914-1917)
Details
Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition (1914-1917)
Typescript stores list for the expedition, 4 New Burlington St, London, n.d. [July 1914], with annotations in pencil in the hand of Dr Alexander Macklin, 28 leaves, folio (some creasing to lower margin, loss to lower left corner of f.1, with loss of one character, some paper-clip erosion to f.1); together with a carbon copy.
PROVENANCE:
Alexander Hepburne Macklin (1889-1967), and thence by descent to the present owners.
Apparently the complete London stores list for the shore parties of the Endurance expedition. By far the greater proportion of the stores listed are for Shackleton's Weddell Sea shore party, as Mackintosh's Ross Sea party was to be partly equipped in Australia. The list itemises a vast range of tinned food, packed in cases, ranging from the basic ('50 1 lb. tins Corned Beef ... 100 noml 1 lb tins English Beetroot ...60 1 lb tins Strawberries in Syrup') to the surprisingly gourmet ('10 tins 1 Whole Roast Partridge ... 50 1 lb. flat tins "Eagle" brand Lobsters ... 50 long flat tins French Asparagus'). Each item is ticked in pencil, indicating that the list may have been the one used when packing the cases in preparation for embarkation. Annotations beside the different food-types may give some indication of the dietary thinking of the expedition: 'Accessory fruits ... Fruit ... meats ... odds & ends ... Fish ... Vegetable ... Condiments & Flavourings ... Veg & Cereals'.
Considerable thought was given to the diet of the Endurance expedition. Indeed, Shackleton asked M. Oddenino of the Imperial Restaurant in London to give members of the expedition special instruction in cooking: 'Our aim will be to prepare natural dishes', Oddenino explained in an interview with the Daily Mirror. 'The idea is to provide the expedition with a great variety of really nourishing foods, so as to avoid the illnesses which are brought on largely by eating of similar food every day ... Among the eatables which will be novelties in Antarctic regions will be chicken and fish in tins, dry beans, various kinds of peas ...'. This may have been a characteristic publicity stunt by Shackleton. In fact, the expedition had a capable and ingenious chef in Charles Green, renowned for producing his 'cotelettes à la Weddell' under the most difficult conditions. Green's manuscript regarding the preparation of penguins, seal etc. on the floe is included in lot 232. (2)
Typescript stores list for the expedition, 4 New Burlington St, London, n.d. [July 1914], with annotations in pencil in the hand of Dr Alexander Macklin, 28 leaves, folio (some creasing to lower margin, loss to lower left corner of f.1, with loss of one character, some paper-clip erosion to f.1); together with a carbon copy.
PROVENANCE:
Alexander Hepburne Macklin (1889-1967), and thence by descent to the present owners.
Apparently the complete London stores list for the shore parties of the Endurance expedition. By far the greater proportion of the stores listed are for Shackleton's Weddell Sea shore party, as Mackintosh's Ross Sea party was to be partly equipped in Australia. The list itemises a vast range of tinned food, packed in cases, ranging from the basic ('50 1 lb. tins Corned Beef ... 100 noml 1 lb tins English Beetroot ...60 1 lb tins Strawberries in Syrup') to the surprisingly gourmet ('10 tins 1 Whole Roast Partridge ... 50 1 lb. flat tins "Eagle" brand Lobsters ... 50 long flat tins French Asparagus'). Each item is ticked in pencil, indicating that the list may have been the one used when packing the cases in preparation for embarkation. Annotations beside the different food-types may give some indication of the dietary thinking of the expedition: 'Accessory fruits ... Fruit ... meats ... odds & ends ... Fish ... Vegetable ... Condiments & Flavourings ... Veg & Cereals'.
Considerable thought was given to the diet of the Endurance expedition. Indeed, Shackleton asked M. Oddenino of the Imperial Restaurant in London to give members of the expedition special instruction in cooking: 'Our aim will be to prepare natural dishes', Oddenino explained in an interview with the Daily Mirror. 'The idea is to provide the expedition with a great variety of really nourishing foods, so as to avoid the illnesses which are brought on largely by eating of similar food every day ... Among the eatables which will be novelties in Antarctic regions will be chicken and fish in tins, dry beans, various kinds of peas ...'. This may have been a characteristic publicity stunt by Shackleton. In fact, the expedition had a capable and ingenious chef in Charles Green, renowned for producing his 'cotelettes à la Weddell' under the most difficult conditions. Green's manuscript regarding the preparation of penguins, seal etc. on the floe is included in lot 232. (2)
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