Bronwyn Barlow

In 1882 John Goodwin Howe died a wealthy man, (£16,000) but left no will.

At the time of his death, Howe lived in the two-storey brick building opposite the fountain at the corner of Howe and Camp Streets. Howe Street is named after him. It was from here that he conducted a merchant’s business.

The application for probate involved detailed information about the contents of this store, the debts owed to him – and money he owed to others. This means we can get an insight as to what people were buying and their costs.

So, if I were planning a menu and inviting you to dinner – let us shop! Worth bearing in mind that a top weekly income at this time for a worker would have been £4.0.0 (in today’s terms $650.00).

Candle-light:

9 pence each – I will buy three so cost is 2 shillings and 3 pence. Today hard to find – needed to resort to Ebay – $18. Was considering the cheaper version below – half the price but you are worth the best:

A refined drink to start:

If a case holds a dozen bottles that’s 3 and a halfpenny per bottle. Today, Cellarbrations has Harveys Bristol Cream Sherry for $36.00.

Salmon salad as a starter:

Now the case costs £1/18/0 but holds 4 dozen tins, so 1 tin costs 9 and a halfpenny. Today, IGA has 100g cans for $4.00 so I will buy two.

No idea what ‘WhyBrows’ Salads are but they are sure to go with tinned salmon. (A bit of research suggests these were salad oils). Cost of bottle 5 and a halfpenny. Salad oil from Coles – $1.80

For the main:

Perhaps 1lb (450 g) will suffice, so cost is 1 shilling and 4 pence. Today in Coles, 1 tin SPAM 340g costs $6.80

9d per jar Coles has pickles for $6.30.

Wine match? Let’s go local!

Now 30 gallons of Colonial wine is a bit much – so I will buy a quarter gallon or 0.95 litres. Cost 2 shillings. Now a bottle of Nueva Grenache costs $32.00.

Dessert:

I’ll buy a tin of lemon peel and use already purchased sugar and flour (vast quantities in the store but too hard to calculate cost of small quantities) and make a lemon pudding. Each tin of lemon peel holds 7lbs (3.2 kg) and costs 7 shillings. So, if I use 1lb (450g) in the dessert, that will cost 1/-.

Finish with a Brandy:

If a case holds 1 dozen bottles, then a single bottle costs 5/-. Liquorland stocks Hennesy’s Brandy at $69.00.

And before bed, some cocoa?

Cost 1shilling 3pence per tin and today, Vittoria Dark Chocochino from Coles – $7.00.

In summary and with currency conversions and adjustments the costs are itemised below:

We can conclude that food today is much cheaper than in 1882, but alcohol much more expensive. If I had been a regular wage earner this meal would have cost nearly one quarter of my wage.

Bronwyn Barlow is a Committee Member for the Daylesford and District Historical Society.