Bellamy's

Bellamy's (or Bellamys) is the name given to the in-house catering service and dining facilities of the New Zealand Parliament. Named after an earlier British parliamentary institution, Bellamy's has been in existence since the establishment of the New Zealand Parliament in the 1850s. Originally the service was used exclusively by members of Parliament (MPs) and their guests, but now includes a restaurant open to the public. Bellamy's has been based in the Beehive since the summer of 1975–76.[1]

Reform leaders William Massey and James Allen head for Bellamy's to celebrate their victory over the Liberals and their assumption of government. (Cartoon in the New Zealand Spectator, 13 July 1912)

History

John Bellamy was the deputy housekeeper of the British House of Commons who, in 1773, set up a small dining room for MPs. The original dining service expanded to include several lobbies for exclusive use of MPs. The British Bellamy's was destroyed in the burning of Parliament in 1834. The name Bellamy's was later adopted by New Zealand's colonial parliament for its refreshment facility.[2][3] New Zealand's earliest Bellamy's in 1854 was a lean-to attached to the rear of the General Assembly House, Auckland.[4]

In 1854 the first Bill passed by the New Zealand Parliament was the Licensing Amendment Act (informally called the "Bellamy's Bill") that permitted the sale of alcohol on the premises of Parliament.[5][6] Bellamy's was modelled as a premier dining facility; silver plate, crockery and table linen were shipped from Britain.[6]

With the relocation of Parliament, Bellamy's moved to Wellington in either 1865[1] or 1867.[3] In 1907 a fire destroyed the parliament buildings, including Bellamy's dining hall.[7] Bellamy's was then based in Government House to the south of Parliament House until its demolition for the construction of the Beehive in the 1970s.[8]

External image
Bellamy's menu—via Te Ara. "[A] menu from Bellamy's restaurant for 8 September 1955 shows that the fare on offer was mostly plain, with the occasional flourish such as 'Consomme Macedoine' and 'Dominion Trifle au Sherry'."[9]

Bellamy's dining hall served as the main social gathering place for MPs and their guests.[6] It was originally closed to women; the "No Women Permitted" sign over the dining hall was taken down in 1933 when the first female MP, Elizabeth McCombs, was elected.[10] In the 1990s, the catering service was opened to all parliamentary staff as well as MPs. As of 2020, a restaurant called Bellamy's by Logan Brown is located on the third floor of the Beehive, with table reservations available to all members of the public.[11] Other facilities include a members' only dining room and Pickwick's Bar.[12]

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See also

References
  1. "History of Parliament's buildings and grounds". www.parliament.nz. New Zealand Parliament. 28 March 2012. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  2. "The House of Commons Refreshment Department" (PDF). www.parliament.uk. House of Commons Information Service. October 2010. p. 2. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  3. "About". Bellamys by Logan Brown. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  4. "Timespanner: For the comfort of members – New Zealand's Bellamy's". Timespanner. 27 October 2008. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  5. Ronowicz, Eddie; Yallop, Colin (2007). English: One Language, Different Cultures. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 207. ISBN 978-1-4411-6464-3.
  6. "Social life - Parliament's people". nzhistory.govt.nz. New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage. 15 July 2014. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  7. "Parliamentary library escapes fire". nzhistory.govt.nz. New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  8. "History of buildings & grounds". www.parliament.nz. New Zealand Parliament. 16 July 2006. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  9. Martin, John E. (1 February 2015). "Bellamy's menu – Parliament". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  10. "Women MPs – Parliament's people". nzhistory.govt.nz. New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage. 24 July 2018. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  11. "Visit Bellamys for a unique, delicious dining experience!". www.parliament.nz. New Zealand Parliament. 26 April 2018. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  12. "Members' Guide" (PDF). www.parliament.nz. New Zealand Parliament. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
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