This room was one of the two cookhouses for the common soldiers. In addition to the bread ration, soldiers received 3/4 lb. meat, 1 lb. potatoes, 1/3 oz. coffee, 1/6 oz. tea, 2 oz. sugar, 1/2 oz. salt and 1/36 oz. pepper. Meals were cooked in the cauldrons of this cookhouse, and usually consisted of boiled food, stews or soups. Prior to 1857, soldiers wishing vegetables had to buy their own or, in some cases, grow them (members of the RCRR, for instance, were given permission to grow garden plots). By 1857, 3 1/2 pence per day was taken from the salary of each soldier to pay for "extras" such as vegetables, cheese, butter and biscuits.

The bachelor soldiers would take turns to be the cook or assistant cook for the week. Women did not work in the cookhouse in any capacity.

You will now reach a set of stairs, called Passageway # 1, which will take you up to the balcony level.