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Macrozamia bush flavour for Australian aborigine hunters.
Macrozamia are palm-shaped, dioecious plants with a usually unbranched trunk with several or many leaves. The leaves of the macrozamia are pinnate, pubescent, at least when young. Young macrozamia plants can differ significantly from adults in leaf details. The seeds of the macrozamia are almost spherical to oblong or elliptical in shape, with a red or, less often, yellow, orange or brown fleshy outer sarcotesta.
Most parts of the macrozamia are toxic. Various species are the cause of livestock poisoning. The seeds of the macrozamia are poisonous, but the aborigines know how to handle them to remove the poison, and thus take advantage of the large amount of food provided by a single plant.
Macrozamia seed cones form after some fire. Male and female seed cones form on separate plants, and large female seeds mature when they turn red or yellow.
Seeds of macrozamia are a good source of starch, but when eaten without processing, they are poisonous. The Australian aborigines crushed and soaked the macrozamia seeds in water for a week, changing the water daily. Then tortillas were made from the pulp, and it was also fried on hot coals.
An Aboriginal woman digs the ground in search of food next to a Macrosamia palm tree, the nuts of which can be used to make flour.
Australia, 1955.
Photographer: Richard Harrington
Sir Winston Churchill pheasant shooting at Warter Priory in 1910.
In the autumn of 1910, a young Winston Churchill—then First Lord of the Admiralty and rising political star—participated in a grand pheasant shoot at Warter Priory, a stately estate in the East Riding of Yorkshire. This event, steeped in Edwardian tradition and aristocratic leisure, offers a fascinating glimpse into Churchill’s character, his relationship with the British upper class, and the social rituals of the early 20th century.
Warter Priory: A Sporting Estate of Renown
Warter Priory, situated in the rolling countryside near the village of Warter, was the seat of the wealthy Foster family, particularly Sir Henry Foster, 2nd Baronet, a prominent landowner and passionate sportsman. The estate was famed for its meticulously managed woodlands and its exceptional game shooting, attracting members of the aristocracy, politicians, and military figures for lavish shooting parties.
These events were more than just hunts—they were social gatherings that reinforced class bonds, political alliances, and the traditions of the landed elite. A day’s shooting typically involved a full line of "beaters" driving pheasants toward a row of well-dressed gentlemen armed with fine shotguns, each positioned at a peg in a carefully planned formation.
Churchill at the Peg: A Passion for Sport
Churchill, though a Liberal politician known for his progressive reforms, was no stranger to the rituals of the country house and the shooting field. He had developed a deep affection for field sports early in life, enjoying shooting, horseback riding, and polo. Pheasant shooting, in particular, became one of his favorite pastimes—a blend of precision, patience, and outdoor vigor that appealed to his energetic temperament.
The 1910 Warter Priory shoot occurred during a politically turbulent period. Churchill was deeply involved in naval modernization and the contentious debates over the People’s Budget and constitutional reform. Yet, like many of his contemporaries, he believed in the importance of leisure and physical activity as a counterbalance to the stresses of public life. Country house weekends offered both relaxation and valuable informal networking.
Though detailed accounts of Churchill’s performance on that specific day are scarce, contemporary reports and estate records confirm his presence among a distinguished group of shooters. The bag—typical for such a well-organized shoot—was reportedly substantial, with hundreds of pheasants flushed and shot over pointers and setters. Churchill, known to be a competent shot, likely held his own among seasoned sportsmen.
A Glimpse into Churchill’s Dual Nature
The image of Churchill, shotgun in hand, striding across the Yorkshire moors, reflects the duality of his identity: a reformist politician who championed social change, yet also a man deeply embedded in the traditions of the British elite. His participation in such events was sometimes criticized by more radical elements who saw them as emblematic of class privilege. Yet for Churchill, these outings were not merely indulgences—they were a way to recharge, to engage with influential figures away from the glare of Parliament, and to affirm his place within the broader fabric of British life.
Moreover, Churchill’s love of the countryside and field sports remained a constant throughout his life. Even during the darkest days of World War II, he would retreat to Chartwell, his Kent estate, to paint, write, and shoot pheasants—a ritual that grounded him amid global upheaval.
Legacy of the Warter Priory Shoot
The 1910 gathering at Warter Priory has since become a minor footnote in Churchillian lore, but it symbolizes an era when politics, land, and leisure were intimately intertwined. Warter Priory itself would later pass through various hands and eventually be demolished in the 1960s, though the estate remains active in agriculture and conservation.
As for Churchill, his days in the shooting line at Warter were just one episode in a lifetime of adventures—military, political, and personal. Yet they remind us that behind the statesman was a man who relished the crisp air of the English autumn, the crack of a 12-bore, and the fleeting beauty of a pheasant in flight.
In the end, the 1910 shoot at Warter Priory was not about the number of birds taken, but about tradition, camaraderie, and the enduring appeal of the English countryside—a world that Churchill, for all his revolutionary ideas, never ceased to love.
