The collection of the economic kitchens at the Museu de São Roque of Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa

Abstract

The end of the 19th century was marked by the creation of social support to face the deterioration of living conditions in urban environments, from the so-called soup kitchens and charity soups, to the economical kitchens, which sold meals at low prices. The Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa was at the forefront of assisting the needy population of the capital, by providing food in the poorest neighbourhoods. From the 1920s onwards, the Misericórdia de Lisboa ended up centralizing most of these offerings, preserving in the Museu de São Roque a small sample of the material culture used in this context. This study aims to reveal part of this collection, made up of pieces produced in national fabrics, and relate it to the existing documentation at Santa Casa da Misericórdia on economic kitchens. From this analysis we hope to contribute and encourage the development of studies around material culture and charity in the 20th century.