A Shipping Order
Below is a full transcript of the Vegetable Order prepared by Chef William Ransom on 28th October 1962 in readiness for Caronia's sailing from Liverpool to New York on 05 January 1963. The document would have been typed, with three carbon-copies, by the Kitchen Clerk from the Chef's hand-written notes. The order also contains instructions to indicate where in the fresh and frozen storage areas aboard the “Green Goddess” these items were to be placed.
Prepare to be amazed!
Vegetable Order Transcript
R.M.S. CARONIA
28th October 1962
VEGETABLE ORDER - LIVERPOOL to NEW YORK via WEST INDIES
SAILING - SATURDAY, 5th JANUARY, 1963
FROZEN (All in Linen Flat Frozen Box, either of Inboard)
400 Doz. Artichoke Hearts
Total for 137 days 10,000 lbs. French Beans (If total stock is
supplied in UK)
1,150 lbs. French Beans (English - for run out if
Total is supplied in USA)
3,500 lbs. Brussels Sprouts
Total for 137 days 2,000 lbs. Corn Kernels (If total stock is
supplied in UK)
220 lbs. Corn Kernels (English - if Total Stock
is supplied in U.S.A.)
Total for 137 days 10,000 lbs. Garden Peas (If total stock supplied
in the UK)
1,200 lbs. Garden Peas (English - if Total Stock
is supplied in U.S.A.)
400 lbs. Red Peppers
500 lbs. Leeks
FROZEN FRUIT (all in Linen Flat Frozen Box - either of Inboard)
750 lbs. Loganberries
4,150 lbs. Apples
650 lbs. Blackberries
850 lbs. Blackcurrants
850 lbs. Gooseberries
1,000 lbs. Raspberries
1,000 lbs. Rhubarb
1,550 lbs. Strawberries
TO BE BROUGHT FROM U.S.A. FOR 14 DAY RUN TO NEW YORK
FROZEN (all in Linen Flat Frozen Box - either of Inboard)
400 lbs. Asparagus
200 lbs. Lima Beans
450 lbs. Broccoli
50 Doz. Corn on Cob
5 lbs. Chives
150 lbs. Macedoine of Vegetables
450 lbs. Spinach
48 lbs. Blueberries
48 lbs. Cranberries
255 lbs. Melon Balls
136 lbs. Sliced Peaches
10 c/s Grapefruit Segments (c/s x 4 Tins)
20 c/s Orange Juice (c/s X 6 Tins)
1,150 lbs. French Beans (See previous note)
1,200 lbs. Garden Peas (See previous note)
220 lbs. Corn Kernels (See previous note)
FRESH (in Linen Flat 38° Box - Outer Port or Starb'd.)
U.S.A. (?) 100 No. Ripe Avocado Pears
U.S.A. (?) 100 No. Half-Ripe Avocado Pears
2,800 lbs. Table Celery
150 lbs. Egg Plant
600 lbs. Iceberg Lettuce
200 lbs. White Squash
200 lbs. Yellow Squash
U.S.A. (?) 40 c/s Idaho Potatoes, or Lincolns
200 lbs. Sweet Potatoes
200 lbs. Green Peppers
U.S.A. (?) 2,000 lbs. Charcoal Briquettes (In Domestic Locker)
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Vegetable Order Transcript - Part 2
The second part of this shipping order also indicates the storage areas for the fresh vegetables.
R.M.S. CARONIA
28th October 1962
FRESH VEGETABLE ORDER - SAILING FROM LIVERPOOL, 5th JANUARY, 1963
OUTER PORT OR STARBOARD LOCATION
Artichokes, Globe 400 No. Linen
Aubergines 120 lbs. Linen
Beetroot 600 lbs. Domestic
Brussels Sprouts (Fresh) 300 lbs. Domestic
Beans, French (Fresh) 120 lbs. Linen
Cabbage, Red 100 lbs. Linen
Cabbage, Savoy 1,750 lbs. Domestic
Cabbage, Danish, White 750 lbs. Linen
Carrots 1,750 lbs. Domestic
Cauliflower 1,500 lbs. Domestic
Chicory 200 lbs. Linen
Chives in soil 3 lbs. Linen
Courgettes 120 lbs. Linen
Cucumbers 96 No. Linen
Endive, Belgian 150 lbs. Linen
Escarole 200 lbs. Linen
Eschallots 100 lbs. Linen
Garlic 30 lbs. Linen
Horseradish 60 lbs. Linen
Leeks 300 lbs. Domestic
Lettuce, Flat 300 Doz. Domestic
Lettuce, Romaine 60 Doz. Domestic
Mint 15 lbs. Linen
Mushrooms, Large 250 lbs. Linen
Mushrooms, Small, French 150 lbs. Linen
Onions, Cooking 2,500 lbs. Domestic
Onions, Button 100 lbs. Domestic
Onions, Spanish 420 lbs. Domestic
Onions, Spring 120 bunches Linen
Parsley 150 lbs. Linen
Parsnips 400 lbs. Domestic
Radishes 120 bunches Linen
Spinach, Fresh 250 lbs. Domestic
Tomatoes 3,000 lbs. Linen
Turnip, Swedes 1,750 lbs. Domestic
Turnip, White 500 lbs. Domestic
Watercress 120 lbs. Linen
Potatoes, New 1,120 lbs. Charcoal Locker
Potatoes, Old 250 cwts. Charcoal Locker
Bay Leaves 24 bunches Larder
Thyme 24 bunches Larder
Sage 24 bunches Larder
Marjoram 24 bunches Larder
Notes:
A “cwt.” is an abbreviation for “hundred-weight”;
1cwt. equals 112 lbs. and 20 cwts. equals 1 ton.
It means that there was 12½ tons of old potatoes to peel and well over a ton of onions to make your eyes water!
If, like me, you wondered what “Escarole” is, think broad-leaf “Endive”; a member of the Chickory family and popular as an Italian pasta ingredient.
Transportation from the U.S.A.
At this point only a wild guess can be taken about how the frozen foodstuffs were transported to Liverpool from the U.S.A. I can only presume that these would have been brought to the U.K. aboard one of the “Queens” and then transferred to Liverpool by train, or possibly by coastal ship? Another possibility being that they were taken to Canada and brought by ship to Liverpool.