26 January 1788 

Landed with 2 years supply of food.

Initial rations to marines and convicts each week:

Female convicts and marine wives received 2/3 of male convict ration.

In order that they could tend their own gardens, convicts did not have to work on Saturday afternoons.

Source: Cobley J., Sydney Cove 1788, p.87

Tench W., Sydney's First Four Years, p. 72

Rations:

100lb beef to be cut into 28 pieces

104lb pork to be cut into 56 pieces

This means a reduction of 12lb for every 100lb of beef and 8lb for every 100lb of pork.

Source: Cobley J., Sydney Cove 1788, p. 103

Total stores landed from Lady Penrhyn

Source: Cobley J., Sydney Cove 1788, p. 111

Collins expressed concern about the number of convicts with scurvy, as did Chief Surgeon White.

Fish is served wherever possible.

Source: Cobley J., Sydney Cove 1788, p. 132-3

Livestock count

1 bull and 4 cows strayed into bush and were 'lost' for 7 years, only being found in November 1795

Source: Cobley J., Sydney Cove 1788, p. 154

Fishburn unloaded: butter 22 firkins

Friendship unloaded: pease18 barrels

Fishburn unloaded:

bread  5 casks

Pease  22 barrels

Flour  80 barrels?

Source: Cobley J., Sydney Cove 1788, pp. 151, 153

Collins recorded the tale of the convict who made his weeks allowance of flour (8lb) into 18 cakes and ate the lot at one sitting. The result was that he was forced to steal for food for the remainder of the week.

Source: Cobley J., Sydney Cove 1788, p. 171

White wrote a very polite letter to the governor begging for more "necessaries" including blankets and sheets for the hospital, and pointing out that the salt diet was not satisfactory for the ill. He also wrote to Ross on subject of shortages of equipment for treating marines, their wives and their children.

Source: Cobley J., Sydney Cove 1788, p.174

9 July 1788

Phillip reported that there were 36 marines and 66 convicts under treatment and that 52 unfit for labour because of old age or infirmity.

Source: Cobley J., Sydney Cove 1788, p. 180

Andrew Miller's inventory of stores was:

Norfolk Island had provisions for 20 months for 44 men and 16 women.

Source: Cobley J., Sydney Cove 1788, p. 234

September 1788

First crop failed to germinate. It had been overheated on the journey out and planted in summer.

Source: Cobley J., Sydney Cove 1788, p. 231

1 lb of flour ration that had been cut was reinstated.

Fish replaced meat at 10 lb fish for 2.5 lb salt beef

Source: Cobley., Sydney Cove 1788, p. 233

Source: Cobley J., Sydney Cove 1788, p. 250

HMS Sirius returned from the Cape of Good Hope after a journey of seven months.

She carried 56 tons of wheat, barley and flour which would last 4 months, as well as other items requested by Surgeon White.

Source: Cobley J., Sydney Cove 1789-1790, p. 35

Butter ran out, and sugar was issued instead. The butter had never been very good. The ration had been 6oz per week.

Source: Cobley J., Sydney Cove 1789-1790, p. 94

October 1789

Before this date rations were:

8lb flour

5lb pork

3 pints peas

6oz butter

Now:

5lb 5oz flour

3lb 5oz pork

2 pints peas

Source: Tench W., Sydney's First Four Years, p. 158

Rations reduced to 2/3 including "every Man, from the Governor to the Convict" however women stayed on same ration, as many of them had children, or were feeding babies.

Source: Cobley J., Sydney Cove 1789-1790, p. 104-5

Rations without distinction per week altered to:

Working hours were reduced to 6 hours per day. Children under 18 months to receive the same ration of rice and flour as adults but only 1lb pork.

Source: Cobley J., Sydney Cove 1789-1790, p. 161

3 April 1790

If fish caught, to be served at the rate of 10lb fish to 2 1/2lb pork

Source: Cobley J., Sydney Cove 1789-1790, p. 161

News of sinking of HMS Sirius at Norfolk Island reached Sydney.

Source: Cobley J., Sydney Cove 1789-1790, p. 164

Weekly ration from 12 April announced:

21/2lb flour

2lb pork

2lb rice

This is issued each day to be divided among 7 people 'without distinction'.

Because of energy needed to fish and shoot, a small amount of extra rations were reserved for gamekeepers and fishermen.

Source: Cobley J., Sydney Cove 1789-1790, p. 172-173

Source: Cobley J., Sydney Cove 1789-1790, p. 174

HMS Supply sails for Batavia (Jakarta) for supplies. She will return on 19 September 1790. As well as food, the ship Waaksamheid is purchased, which arrives in Sydney on 17 December 1790.

Gillen M., The Founders of Australia, p. 432

13 May 1790

A convict had died and was found to have a completely empty stomach. He had no cooking utensils and had to barter part of his food ration for the loan of cooking implements. He had often eaten his food uncooked.

Source: Cobley J., Sydney Cove 1789-1790, p. 195

Arrival of Lady Juliana, the first of the Second Fleet.

Source: Cobley J., Sydney Cove 1789-1790, p. 199