Emergencies and World Disasters
When Ninety-Eight Days, Two Tropics, And Frozen Lamb Changed Everything
22 min•27 augusti 2026
Om avsnittet
When Ninety-Eight Days, Two Tropics, And Frozen Lamb Changed Everything
A frozen carcass arrived in London after a 98-day voyage, crossed two tropics, and still felt indistinguishable from fresh meat - something deemed impossible in 1882. How did a single sailing ship, a failing refrigeration engine, and a cargo of 4,331 mutton and 598 lamb carcasses change what the world ate?
In this episode, we tell the story of one voyage from Port Chalmers, New Zealand to Smithfield Market, London in 1882, the unproven refrigeration technology aboard the Dunedin, and the near-disasters that threatened the cargo - and the question at the center: what happened on those ninety-eight days that made history?
Person: Captain John Whitson
Date: 15 February 1882 (sail date)
Location: Port Chalmers, New Zealand to Smithfield Market, London
Event: 98-day refrigerated voyage
Cargo: 4,331 mutton carcasses; 598 lamb carcasses; 2,226 sheep tongues; 250 kegs of butter; 34 pig carcasses
- The Dunedin carried 4,331 carcasses of mutton and 598 carcasses of lamb loaded in late January 1882.
- The crankshaft of the refrigeration compressor broke on 25 February 1882, ten days after departure.
- Captain John Whitson crawled into the frozen hold to diagnose problems and nearly froze, having to be pulled out by rope.
- The ship sailed on 15 February 1882 and completed a 98-day crossing to London.
- The cargo list also recorded 2,226 sheep tongues, 250 kegs of butter, 34 pig carcasses, and 22 kegs of kidneys.
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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].
A frozen carcass arrived in London after a 98-day voyage, crossed two tropics, and still felt indistinguishable from fresh meat - something deemed impossible in 1882. How did a single sailing ship, a failing refrigeration engine, and a cargo of 4,331 mutton and 598 lamb carcasses change what the world ate?
In this episode, we tell the story of one voyage from Port Chalmers, New Zealand to Smithfield Market, London in 1882, the unproven refrigeration technology aboard the Dunedin, and the near-disasters that threatened the cargo - and the question at the center: what happened on those ninety-eight days that made history?
Person: Captain John Whitson
Date: 15 February 1882 (sail date)
Location: Port Chalmers, New Zealand to Smithfield Market, London
Event: 98-day refrigerated voyage
Cargo: 4,331 mutton carcasses; 598 lamb carcasses; 2,226 sheep tongues; 250 kegs of butter; 34 pig carcasses
- The Dunedin carried 4,331 carcasses of mutton and 598 carcasses of lamb loaded in late January 1882.
- The crankshaft of the refrigeration compressor broke on 25 February 1882, ten days after departure.
- Captain John Whitson crawled into the frozen hold to diagnose problems and nearly froze, having to be pulled out by rope.
- The ship sailed on 15 February 1882 and completed a 98-day crossing to London.
- The cargo list also recorded 2,226 sheep tongues, 250 kegs of butter, 34 pig carcasses, and 22 kegs of kidneys.
To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.
© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].
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