Victualling Yard
VICTUALLING YARD
Completed 1853
A Victualling Yard is an essential part of any
naval facility. It is the area concerned with the
storage, preparation and packaging of food and
drink for the Fleet. The Victualling Yard in
Bermuda is surrounded by a wall with only two
gated accesses, making it a secure area within
the Dockyard, against pilfering.
At the time the Victualling Yard was constructed,
the only means of preserving supplies was to
salt them and seal them in barrels. Eacih
dockyard had its own cooper or barrel-maker
who was responsible for the manifacture and
maintenance of a large number of barrels. The
Cooperage or barrel-makers workshop was on
the northern side of the Victualling Yard and
had two large fireplaces for working the iron
hoops which bound the casks. Nearby were the
Cask Store and the Hoop Iron Store
Submitted by Gilda Spitz