First things first, what is a "jugged hare"?
Sadly I have to tell you it is a hare cooked in a jug, or as one website described it "a sort of meaty bain marie". Frankly it sounds disgusting but for the family historian who really wants to connect with their ancestors, jugging a hare might just be the way to go.
From the kitchen of Mrs Alice Buddle
The recipe for jugged hare that I discovered in our research collection (from a 1903 jubilee souvenir, celebrating a fundraising fete at St Paul's Anglican Church at Papanui, opens a new window) was contributed by Mrs Alice Amelia Buddle of 368 Papanui Road.
Alice Amelia Leonard married John Wesley Buddle in 1885 and had several baby Buddles including: Dudley (Dudley Buddle, amazing!), Ethel, Gertrude and Gladys. John Buddle was a merchant, and the son of Thomas Buddle a pioneering Wesleyan missionary. The Buddles lived at 368 Papanui Road until 1934 when Dudley died. The "single-storey residence of nine spacious rooms" was then put on the market "suitable for flats, apartments or nursing home". The house is now the offices of Joynt Andrews Lawyers. The Buddles may be gone but we can all eat jugged hare and remember them.
The toast of Mrs Todhunter
Other delicacies included in the souvenir cookbook are a whole host of toast based dishes contributed by Annie Gertrude Todhunter. She offers recipes for: Bombay toast, puree of mushroom and toast, and other less obviously identifiable dishes such as Croutes a la Freiburg, Cheese D’Artois and Tomatoes Farcies au Gratin. Fancy.
The Todhunters were a well established Papanui/Merivale family. Annie's mother Caroline was the daughter of Canterbury's first surveyor Edward Dobson and was university educated, well travelled and widely read. Annie never married and eventually inherited the family home at 31 Naseby Street, Merivale. This beautiful property was created from the servants quarters and ballroom of William Sefton Moorhouse's grand house "Merevale". Relocated to Naseby Street, this third of the original house built from heart kauri was turned into an extensive family home and the Todhunter family lived there from 1907-1953 when Annie died. The architect Peter Beaven later owned the house, sadly now demolished.
Mrs Forwood's Four Hour Tripe
Another meaty delight is the Four Hour Tripe recipe contributed by Mrs H Forwood of Oak Hill Lodge, Murray Street (now Murray Place).
Both Susan Jane Forwood and her husband Henry were heavily involved in local affairs, particularly through the church. Henry owned Churchill Farm, opens a new window in St Albans, a small model farm. The family lived at Oak Lodge, an extensive property described breathlessly in a newspaper article as a “veritable show place, opens a new window, even in a suburb that boasts many a beautifully laid-out garden ” with “glorious splashes of colour...the flaunting beauty of the rhododendrons...and the stately trees made an exquisite spring picture”.
That's sure not a duck, Mrs Henshall
Mrs Lillie Augusta (Nellie) Henshall contributed a recipe for Mock Duck, with VERY SAVOURY written in brackets. The duck was in fact steak covered in sage stuffing, rolled and coated in flour and crowned with pork slices. The faux duck was then oven cooked for an hour.
Nellie and her husband Edwin lived at Northcote, Papanui. Edwin was a timber merchant and later a builder. Nellie was the granddaughter of an early Belfast resident Philip Tisch, opens a new window ("Philip Tisch the German from the Styx", opens a new window) as he was memorably termed in a meeting of the Canterbury Provincial Council in 1870!)
Getting a boil on (and on) in Papanui
Papanui Pudding. Sounds intriguing, maybe even exciting?
It isn't.
The ingredients were 2 tbsp of dripping, sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder, milk, marmalade or jam. Then boiled for 3 hours.
This non-delicacy was gifted by Mrs Graham Lord Greenwood, previously Isabel Martin. Graham Lord Greenwood, opens a new window was from an early Motueka family and, after dabbling in farming and mining, became an Official Assignee (court official who administers a bankrupt's affairs). The family lived at 429 Papanui Road, opens a new window, later St Anne’s Home for the reformative care of wayward girls. The property was then used by the YWCA and as a private hotel, before the site was cleared and Parklands Hospital private hospital was built in 1973.
Disappointing-sounding cakes from Mrs Ann Bunce
Kiss Cakes by Mrs Bunce of May's Road also sound promising but would probably disappoint modern taste buds: eggs, sugar, butter, flour, cornflour, baking powder and salt.
Ann Bunce needed all the love she could get, in 1904 her husband James, opens a new window was found, in the river Avon, bleeding and experiencing auditory hallucinations. He was sent to Sunnyside Asylum where he stayed until his death in 1916. Ann survived him by many years living until 1934.
Court cocktails!
Recipes for Cider Cup and Lemon Punch were shared by Andrew Bloxam , opens a new windowof Norman's Road. He was the Registrar for the Supreme Court, presumably a sometimes stressful role which necessitated the odd medicinal snifter. The Cider Cup was particularly refreshing with lemon juice, brandy, spring water, nutmeg, white wine, cider, borage and balm.
About the Souvenir of S. Paul's Jubilee Fete, Papanui, 1853-1903 cookbook
This cookbook was owned by Lea Retallick nee Mathews of 51 Richard's Avenue in Papanui. A handwritten note on the book's flyleaf records that she was christened in the Papanui Church by the Rev Purchas. Lea was the daughter of Frederick and Emily Mathews. She married Thomas Retallick in June 1920 at St Paul's, Papanui.
For more Local & Family History and recipes from history's kitchen:
- We have lots of vintage and souvenir recipe books in our pamphlet collections here at Tuakiri at Tūranga, opens a new window. Pop in and see if you can find your ancestor's favourite dish!
- Read Karen's post about Culinary delights from 1917
- Check out our Food and Drink page
- Want to research a Christchurch house? For tips and tricks try our research guide, opens a new window.
- For more images of Christchurch try our Discovery Wall, opens a new window
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