In 1884, a journalist described a communal kitchen with 5 fireplaces at the Harrietville Chinese Mining Village. We hope to find and excavate this as part of our planned second season of excavations at the village in October 2019.
Similar kitchens were photographed by Norma Siu, who participated in the first excavation at Harrietville in October 2017. Norma recently visited Hong Kong and found two traditional multi-hearth kitchens for woks and steaming in two buildings on the Ping Shan Heritage Trail, near Tin Shui Wan MTR station, Hong Kong. Dec. 2018.
Here’s the part of the 1884 article which describes the kitchen at the Harrietville Chinese Mining Village. The Argus (Melbourne), Saturday 23 August 1884, page 4. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article6055923
Restored kitchen in Yan Tun Kong Study Hall (photo: Norma Siu)
Kitchen in Ching Shu Hin Guesthouse (photo: Norma Siu)
Kitchen in Ching Shu Hin Guesthouse - The top of the stove (photo: Norma Siu)
Kitchen in Ching Shu Hin Guesthouse - The back of the stove (photo: Norma Siu)
Kitchen in Ching Shu Hin Guesthouse - Close up of rear, where the firewood was placed (photo: Norma Siu)
Outside the kitchen, Ching Shu Hin Guesthouse, in an open passageway, this was the preparation bench (photo: Norma Siu)
Inside the kitchen, Ching Shu Hin Guesthouse. The window was the ventilation & the bench was for preparation (photo: Norma Siu)