Despite the highly perishable nature of meat, it has a long history of

trading across vast distances. The trade has its roots in the nineteenth

century, when increasing industrialisation and sharp growth in population

in the countries of Western Europe meant that problems of meat

shortages and malnutrition were becoming commonplace.

At the same time, in the sparsely populated, still predominantly

pastoral countries of Australia, New Zealand, North and South America,

there was the potential to produce plenty of meat. There was also a great

need to gain some return from the vast tracts of land. For example, in

1880 there were 60 million sheep in Australia whereas the entire human

population was only about two million. Although the wool had a value,

the only way to dispose of surplus carcasses was to boil them down for

tallow.

The only problem was how to preserve the meat on its long journey

across the world’s oceans. In the mid-1800s, Britain was importing some

canned meat from these countries, but there was huge demand for fresh

meat. Work started on developing effective refrigeration processes.

After several failed attempts by various companies, in May 1877,

the Frigorifique sailed from Buenos Aires to Rouen with a cargo of meat,

some of which, though not all, was fit for human consumption at the

end of the journey. A few months later, the Paraguay was fitted with

improved freezing equipment and loaded with mutton in Buenos Aires.

Seven months later the cargo was landed in France in perfect condition.

In February 1880, after a journey of 64 days on board the

Strathleven, a cargo of beef, mutton and lamb from Australia was

unloaded in the port of London. On inspection, the meat was found to

be ‘in a perfectly sound state, frozen quite hard’. It had been valued at

11/2–2d. a pound in Australia but was sold on London’s Smithfield market

at 5–6d. a pound.

The London Daily Telegraph reported ‘It has been tested by the

ordinary methods of cooking and found to be in such good condition

that neither by its appearance in the butchers’ shops, nor by any peculiarity

of flavour when cooked for the table could it be distinguished

from freshly-killed meat’.