What were the good people of Van Diemen’s Land up to as the year 1839 drew to a close? Some idea can be gained by taking a glance at the “Shipping News” for the day. The port was a bustling place, noisy with the dozens of workers needed to haul ashore the goods required for the colony and load the produce ready for export. There were no machines or neat rectangular containers; it was all manpower.
Just one report, covering a few days, gives a real insight into what was going on. One schooner had gone down the river to collect timber for Port Philip, the cutter, “Mart” was taking in whaling stores, the schooner Adelaide had arrived from Port Philip with a cargo of sheep, two other ships were also on their way to the whaling grounds. Several ships were loading or unloading general cargo, the barque Arab had begun loading oil for London (whale I imagine). The barque Cygnet was loading wool for London and several other ships were being refitted.
Some of the cargo was of such an ordinary nature that it was just “general.” However, it is the lists that are so interesting. In those days, cheap factory made clothing was called slops. I guess that is what makes us look sloppy today when we buy the cheap stuff and forget to put on our make up or have a shave. The silks which came in were packed in eight cases. There were also cases of slops but other slops were in casks. In fact, casks were pretty popular. Shoes and millinery also joined the fashion parade.
Eight casks of epsom salts must have had far reaching effects. Washing must have been fashionable. Over 200 boxes of soap came in. A barrel of cream of tartar, dates, 29 barrels of raisins and a cask of currants, packets ginger and cloves arrived to give spice to the cooking. For those with more savoury tastes, there were barrels and casks of hams, beef and pork, and salt fish, herrings, pickles and curry powder. Salt, sugar, flour rice and tea also came in to fill the canisters lined up on peoples’ kitchen shelves.
Plaster of Paris, bags of cement and steel along with a quantity of ironmongery formed the basis for the building industry. There were 480 pieces of hoop iron, bundles of steel and 636 iron bars, along with 72 casks of nails but only 2 pieces of timber and 12 pine planks. (That would go a long way). To stick it all together, there were 12 boxes of glue.
There was glassware and earthenware, bottles and corks for brewers and a quantity of hops. This was just the beginning of the provision for drinking. The amount of alcohol was just phenomenal: barrels and barrels of wine, brandy, stout, beer and arrack. It came in hogsheads, cases, puncheons and bottles. No wonder Bridget Doe was found in the halfway house “not quite drunk and not quite sober.”
Some of the more interesting measurements were firkins of butter, tierces of beef, pipes of lemon juice and caroteels of currants.
Lead, shot and hawse pipes, books, cases of tobacco, snuff, stationery, books, lamps and oil also filled the holds of the ships. Gunny or hessian bags were an important commodity, used for holding all manner of goods. And what is or was Geneva? There were 50 cases of it. The eight bundles of mop handles would have come in handy.
From New Zealand, there was yet more wine, 75000 feet of pine, 2 round spars 200 hand spikes and 48 tough oars.
As for the exports, there were bales of wool and 30,000 feet of timber, 40,000 shingles, laths, bark, hay oats and gooseberries. VDL was using free labour to advantage to clear its forests.
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