FROM A REPORT ON ICE CREAM MANUFACTORY IN TORQUAY IN 1900

by the Town's Medical Officer of Health Dr Paul Quick Karkeek, MRCS; LSA

I must begin by describing the process of converting milk into ice cream. Milk is boiled with eggs, sugar, flavouring, and a little corn flour, and then put aside to cool; and this cooling must be effected naturally. The mixture when cold is put into a metal vessel and stirred violently, either by hand power or steam engine, and while being stirred the vessel is surrounded by a composition of ice and salt. When sufficiently frozen and set the lid of the vessel is fitted, and the ice and salt around is renewed if necessary, and so handed out to the carts or barrows for sale in the streets.

Altogether I visited four places and all were kept by Italians.

Maker A made his goods in a stable where I expect the cooling process went on at night time, I also saw the room where he boiled the ingredients and certainly I should not like to eat anything prepared in that room. or by that cook.

*Maker B manufactured his wares in a common lodging house. The boiling was performed in a boiler devoted to other purposes on washing day and the cooling took place in the back yard of a by no means savoury-looking house.

Maker C also worked in a stable and cart shed and the cooling place was the loft where a chaff cutter was worked. Here though there was a steam engine to do the stirring and evident signs of a good deal of capital being employed in the business.

**Maker D made his ices in a woodshed where he saws wood when ices are not required, and the cooling took place in the wash house, no matter what was hanging up to dry.

Now as milk is the principal constituent in ice cream, I did not see why the Dairy & Cowshed Act could not be invoked and very soon one stable was shut up, another was reconstructed and rendered suitable for its new purpose, and the other places seen to in respect of cleanliness.

But generally speaking, the manufacture of penny ices is not carried on under satisfactory surroundings, nor are the people who make them acquainted with the ordinary notions on the subject of cleanliness. Perhaps in 1901, I may be able to look into this matter more closely."

Sadly, Dr Karkeek did not complete a  report in 1901 and in the winter of 1902 he died at the age of 59.  In 1903 his successor, Dr Thomas  Dunlop, MB;  wrote:

"As far as I could ascertain there are only two manufacturers of ice cream now in the town. I visited these and found one very clean and well looked after; the second required lime washing, and was not as clean as it should be."

By 1905, Dr Dunlop was able to report:

"There are now three manufacturers of ice cream in the town. They were all inspected and were found to be clean and well looked after" - a great relief , no doubt, to Councillors mindful of the annual influx of holiday makers  in their town.

Footnotes by Dr. Karkeek to the original report:

* This gentleman ceased trading as an ice cream manufacturer immediately after the inspection"

** This gentleman went full-time at his winter occupation which was selling firewood and bundles of kindling sticks around the streets."