Cooking on the coal range

A DigitalNZ Story by Zokoroa

A look inside the days when kitchens had coal ranges

Cooking, Stoves, Kitchens, Coal range

Cast-iron coal ranges were used to cook your food, heat your water, warm your house, air your clothes, and to burn your rubbish! When gas and then electric stoves were introduced, some households still kept their coal range fired up to keep the kettle boiling continuously for a cuppa, bake bread and cook the Sunday roast.

Image: Mrs Wereta stokes the fire. She has made dough... From the series: Washday at the pa

Mrs Wereta stokes the fire. She has made dough... From the series: Washday at the pa

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Waitaki Farmers' Freezing Company, Pukeuri, early 1920s. Three gentlemen with aprons on in front of range cooking

Waitaki Farmers' Freezing Company, Pukeuri, early 1920s. Three gentlemen with aprons on in front of range cooking

Waitaki District Council

Image: Portrait of an unidentified female TEAL Catering Staff member putting a tray of scones into an oven within a kitchen, Mechanics Bay, Auckland City

Portrait of an unidentified female TEAL Catering Staff member putting a tray of scones into an oven within a kitchen, Mechanics Bay, Auckland City

Alexander Turnbull Library

Preparing meals

Image: The culinary department

The culinary department

Auckland Libraries

Image: Young housemaids cooking, probably Christchurch region

Young housemaids cooking, probably Christchurch region

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Kitchen interior

Kitchen interior

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Mixing the Christmas pudding

Mixing the Christmas pudding

Auckland Libraries

Image: Two men preparing food in a kitchen

Two men preparing food in a kitchen

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: In the kitchen

In the kitchen

Auckland Libraries

Image: Corner of the 'Kitchen'

Corner of the 'Kitchen'

Auckland Libraries

Image: PR396

PR396

Air Force Museum of New Zealand

Image: Shearers’ cook

Shearers’ cook

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Fuelling a lighthouse coal range

Fuelling a lighthouse coal range

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Kitchen interior and maid

Kitchen interior and maid

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Whaling Great Barrier Island.

Whaling Great Barrier Island.

Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira

Baking bread

Image: Even big brother Samuel loves to watch mother kneading the dough. From the series: Washday at the pa

Even big brother Samuel loves to watch mother kneading the dough. From the series: Washday at the pa

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: When it is mixed evenly she divides it into four parts, rolling each into a big ball. From the series: Washday at the pa

When it is mixed evenly she divides it into four parts, rolling each into a big ball. From the series: Washday at the pa

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: She puts the four balls of dough into a special iron pot on legs called a camp-oven. From the series: Washday at the pa

She puts the four balls of dough into a special iron pot on legs called a camp-oven. From the series: Washday at the pa

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: She has made dough of flour and lemon-water and puts it in the warm oven to rise

She has made dough of flour and lemon-water and puts it in the warm oven to rise

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: It is a beautiful golden colour when it comes out of the oven. From the series: Washday at the pa

It is a beautiful golden colour when it comes out of the oven. From the series: Washday at the pa

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: The children seat themselves around the table. From the series: Washday at the pa

The children seat themselves around the table. From the series: Washday at the pa

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Jimmy can hardly wait for the thick slices of the bread... From the series: Washday at the pa

Jimmy can hardly wait for the thick slices of the bread... From the series: Washday at the pa

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Tidying up

Image: Phyllis Mary Godber

Washing dishes

Phyllis Mary Godber

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: You dirty boy

Heating water & washing dogs

You dirty boy

Auckland Libraries

Image: Domestic service

Cleaning out a coal-burning stove

Domestic service

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Newspaper

Cleaning kitchen grates

KITCHEN GRATES (Evening Post, 03 October 1935)

National Library of New Zealand

Newspaper

Advertisement for black-leading stove

Page 21 Advertisements Column 3 (Observer, 14 December 1912)

National Library of New Zealand

Airing the washing & heating the iron

Image: Gossip: photographic study by Mr T Leedham, Auckland

Gossip: photographic study by Mr T Leedham, Auckland

Auckland Libraries

Image: Iron, Shacklock.

Iron, Shacklock.

Mataura Museum

Image: Clothes Iron

Clothes Iron

MOTAT

Image: Trivet

Trivet

Mataura Museum

Styles of kitchen ranges

Image: In Bishop Selwyn's kitchen at St John's College showing the...

Bishop Selwyn's kitchen at St John's College, Tamaki

In Bishop Selwyn's kitchen at St John's College showing the...

Auckland Libraries

Image: Kitchen range at 'Kaingahou', 642 Pioneer Highway

Kitchen range at 'Kaingahou', 642 Pioneer Highway

Palmerston North City Library

Image: Shacklock Orion range in action, 1920s

Shacklock Orion range in action, 1920s

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Coal range, 451 College Street

Coal range, 451 College Street

Palmerston North City Library

Image: Kitchen displays

1880s kitchen with coal range

Kitchen displays

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Kitchen in unidentified house in Christchurch. The "lace" decorations on the mantle are made of newspaper. Above the clock is a portrait of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra

Kitchen in unidentified house in Christchurch. The "lace" decorations on the mantle are made of newspaper. Above the clock is a portrait of King Ed...

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Bank of New Zealand

HE Shacklock Orion coal range stove, number 2 RH model, at the BNZ Office, Hastings (1930s)

Bank of New Zealand

Hawke's Bay Knowledge Bank

Image: House interior

House interior

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Coal Stove, 53 Dyers Pass Road

Coal Stove, 53 Dyers Pass Road

Christchurch City Libraries

Image: range

range

Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira

Image: Hearth Fender

Hearth Fender

Mataura Museum

Image: Coal Scuttle

Coal Scuttle

MOTAT

Image: Coal scuttle

Coal scuttle

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Cooking equipment

Image: Shackleton's Stove and Cooking Equipment

Shackleton's Stove and Cooking Equipment

Antarctica New Zealand

Image: Page 9 Kitchen Facilities

Page 9 Kitchen Facilities

Lincoln University

Image: Old Stove and Cooking Utensils inside Shackleton's Hut

Old Stove and Cooking Utensils inside Shackleton's Hut

Antarctica New Zealand

Image: Shacklock Orion stove

Shacklock Orion stove

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Scales

Scales

Mataura Museum

Image: Griddle

Griddle

Mataura Museum

Image: Oven Tray Rest, Orion

Oven Tray Rest, Orion

Mataura Museum

Image: Cooking Pot

Cooking Pot

MOTAT

Image: pot, cooking

pot, cooking

Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira

Image: pot, cooking

pot, cooking

Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira

Image: pot, cooking

pot, cooking

Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira

Image: pan, preserving

pan, preserving

Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira

Image: Brass trivett

Brass trivett

Howick Historical Village

Image: trivet

trivet

Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira

Image: Kettle Stand

Kettle Stand

Mataura Museum

Image: kettle

kettle

Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira

Image: kettle

kettle

Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira

Image: Kettle

Kettle

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Kettle

Kettle

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Kettle

Kettle

Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga o Waikato

Image: Kettle

Kettle

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Kettle

Kettle

South Canterbury Museum

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Image: Henry Ely Shacklock

Henry Shacklock arrived in Dunedin in 1862, and started his iron foundry in 1871/1872

Henry Ely Shacklock

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Shacklock Orion range advertisement, 1898

Shacklock designed and built the Orion range in 1873 to burn the lignite coal found in NZ

Shacklock Orion range advertisement, 1898

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Fred Frederikse's stove, Atene, Wanganui, c1977.

Fred Frederikse's stove, Atene, Wanganui, c1977.

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: No. 1 stove

In 1894 the firm employed over 40 staff and its coal ranges were being sold throughout NZ

No. 1 stove

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Newspaper

Advertisement selling coal

SPLENDID FOR THE STOVE OR RANGE. (Tuapeka Times, 03 November 1906)

National Library of New Zealand

Image: Page 4 Advertisements Column 6 (Taranaki Daily News 12-5-1908)

Page 4 Advertisements Column 6 (Taranaki Daily News 12-5-1908)

National Library of New Zealand

Image: Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Clutha Leader 2-11-1909)

Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Clutha Leader 2-11-1909)

National Library of New Zealand

Image: Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Clutha Leader 7-6-1910)

Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Clutha Leader 7-6-1910)

National Library of New Zealand

Image: Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Clutha Leader 5-4-1910)

Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Clutha Leader 5-4-1910)

National Library of New Zealand

Find out more:

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Cooking: Cooking technology

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage