IX.-MARKETS. METROPOLITAN CATTLE MARKET, COPENHAGEN FIELDS (between Islington and Camden Town)—the modern Smithfield-the live-stock and meat market of Londonerected 1854-5, after a long parliamentary struggle with the Corporation of London, and publicly opened by Prince Albert, 13th June, 1855. Architect, Mr. Bunning. The market occupies 30 acres, and is said to have cost 440,000l. 15 acres are enclosed, furnishing room for 7,600 bullocks, 40,000 sheep, 1,400 calves, and 900 pigs; there is also lairage or covered sheds for bullocks and sheep. In the centre rises a clock tower—a station of the Electric Telegraph Co. Round its base are banking-houses for the convenience of dealers. There are 8 slaughter houses, 2 of which are public. There are 34 more acres available for the extension of the market. The number of cattle, sheep, and pigs, sold in one year in this market is estimated at 4,000,000. About one-sixth of all the oxen come from Denmark, which receives for them 500,000l. a-year. The City takes a toll upon every beast exposed to sale of 1d. per head, and of sheep at 2d. per score, and for every pen 1s. Salesmen estimate the weight of cattle by the eye, and, from constant practice, are seldom out more than a few pounds. The sales are always for cash. No paper is passed, but when the bargain is struck, the buyer and seller shake hands and close the sale. Several millions are annually paid away in this manner. The average weekly sale of beasts is about 3000; and of sheep about 30,000, increased in the Christmas week to about 5000 beasts, and 50,000 sheep. THE AGRICULTURAL HALL, ISLINGTON GREEN, a capacious building, covering nearly three acres, between Liverpoolroad and Islington Green. An Italian façade, of brick, with two towers. The main hall, 384 by 217 ft., covered with a glass roof supported on iron columns. More than 8000 tons of iron were used in its construction. Architect, Peck, of Maidstone. Date 1861. Cost 40,000l. Here are held at Christmas, the Agricultural Show, exhibitions of Cattle of the Smithfield Club. OLD SMITHFIELD MARKET was an irregular open area of 5 acres, surrounded by bone-houses, catgut manufactories, public-houses, and knackers' yards. The name would seem to have been originally Smoothfield, "campus planus." "Falstaff. Where's Bardolph? "Page. He's gone into Smithfield to buy your worship a horse. "Falstaff. I bought him in Paul's, and he'll buy me a horse in Smithfield: an I could get me but a wife in the Stews, I were manned, horsed, and wived."-Shakespeare, 2nd Part of Henry IV., Act i., sc. 2. Smithfield is famous for its jousts, tournaments, executions, and burnings. Here Wallace and the gentle Mortimer were executed. Here, Sir William Walworth slew Wat Tyler, June, 1381; the King standing near St. Bartholomew's Priory, and the Commons towards the west in form of battle. The stake, at which so many of the Marian martyrs died, was fixed immediately opposite the church of St. Bartholomew the Great (see Sect. xiv). In March, 1849, during excavations necessary for a new sewer, and at a depth of 3 ft. below the surface, immediately opposite the entrance to the church of St. Bartholomew the Great, the workmen laid open a mass of unhewn stones, blackened as if by fire, and covered with ashes, and human bones charred and partially consumed. This is supposed to have been the spot generally used for the Smithfield burnings-the face of the sufferer being turned to the east and to the great gate of St. Bartholomew, the prior of which was generally present on such occasions. Many bones were carried away as relics. The spot should be marked by an appropriate monument. Here too, from September 3rd to 6th, was held the farfamed Bartholomew Fair, once one of the leading fairs in England, established by a grant from Henry II. to the Black Canons of St. Bartholomew, but for a century and more (until its abolition in 1851) only a nuisance. A NEW METROPOLITAN MEAT MARKET, on the site of Old Smithfield, was begun 1862, after much opposition from the Corporation, and at once came to a stand-still. The building will be 625 ft. long, by 240 wide, and 30 ft. high, intersected by cross avenues. It will have subterranean communication by tramways with the Cattle Market in Copenhagen Fields, and the Railway Station. It will cost 180,000l. BILLINGSGATE, the great fish-market of London (of red brick, with stone dressings,) lies a little below London Bridge on the left bank of the Thames (Mr. Bunning, architect). Queen Elizabeth appointed "this open place for the landing and bringing in of any fish, corn, salt, stores, victuals, and fruit (grocery ware excepted), and for the carrying forth of the same, or the like, and for no other merchandizes." In the reign of William III., 1699, it was made "a free and open market for all sorts of fish." It is now regulated pursuant to 9 & 10 Vict. c. 346. "How this gate took that name, or of what antiquity the same is, I must leave uncertain, as not having read any ancient record thereof, more than that Geffrey Monmouth writeth, that Belin, a king of the Britons, about four hundred years before Christ's Nativity, built this gate, and named it Belin's gate, after his own calling; and that when he was dead, his body being burnt, the ashes in a vessel of brass were set upon a high pinnacle of stone over the same gate. It seemeth to me not to be so ancient, but rather to have taken that name of some later owner of the place, happily named Beling or Biling, as Somer's key, Smart's key, Frost wharf, and others thereby, took their names of their owners."-Stow, p. 17. The coarse language of the place has long been famous :— Pope, The Dunciad, B. iv. "One may term Billingsgate," says old Fuller, "the Esculine gate of London." The market opens at 5 o'clock throughout the year. All fish are sold by the tale except salmon, which is sold by weight, and oysters and shell-fish, which are sold by measure. The salmon imports are from Scotland and Ireland, and from Holland, and the north of Europe. The best cod is brought from the Dogger-bank, and the greater number of the lobsters from Norway. The eels are chiefly from Holland. The oyster season commences 4th August. Many attempts have been made to estimate the value of the fish sold or consumed in London. The consumption is less than the sale, the opening of railways having made London the fish-market of at least half of England. Salmon is sent in boxes on commission to agents, who charge 5 per cent. and take the risk of bad debts. This business is in few hands, and those engaged in it are the most wealthy of all dealers in fish. Here every day (at 1 and 4), at the "Three Tuns Tavern," a capital dinner may be had for 1s. 6d., including three kinds of fish, joints, steaks, and bread and cheese. COVENT GARDEN MARKET, the great fruit, vegetable and herb market of London, originated (circ. 1656) in a few temporary stalls and sheds at the back of the garden wall of Bedford-house on the south side of the square. The present Market-place (William Fowler, architect) was erected (1830) by the Duke of Bedford. The market is rated (1849) to the poor at 4800l., rather under the amount derived from the rental and the tolls. The stranger in London who wishes to see what Covent-garden Market is like, should visit it on a Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday morning in summer, between 3 and 7 o'clock. To see the supply of fruit and vegetables carted off, 7 A.M. is early enough. To enjoy the sight and smell of flowers and fruit, the finest in the world, any time from 10 A.M. to 4 or 5 P.M. will answer. A flower market, covered with glass after the fashion of the Crystal Palace, was built 1859, on the S. side of the Opera House. Entrance from Covent Garden and from Bow Street. NEWGATE MARKET, between NEWGATE-STREET and PATERNOSTER-ROW, the great carcase-market of London, originally a meal market. It is much frequented, and grew into reputation from the time when the stalls and sheds were removed from Butcher-hall-lane and the localities adjoining the now destroyed church of St. Nicholas Shambles. The West End carcase butchers come to this market for almost all their meat; and Newgate-street, on a market morning, has not been inaptly likened to one continuous butcher's tray. LEADENHALL MARKET, Gracechurch-street, for butchers' meat, fish, poultry, vegetables, leather, hides, bacon, &c. The manor-house of Leadenhall, which gave the name to the market, belonged (1309) to Sir Hugh Neville, knight, and was converted into a granary for the City by Simon Eyre, draper, and Mayor of London, in 1445. It appears to have been a large building and covered with lead, then an unusual roofing on halls and houses. The market escaped the Great Fire of 1666. "Would'st thou with mighty beef augment thy meal, Leadenhall is no longer celebrated for its beef, but is deservedly esteemed as the largest and best poultry market in London. FARRINGDON MARKET is a general market for butchers' meat, fish, poultry, vegetables, and fruit. It is the great water-cress market of London. The greatest number of horses are sold at TATTERSALL'S, in Knightsbridge Green, near the end of Sloane-street, formerly in Grosvenor-place, a handsome structure, including ranges of stables of the best construction, lofty and airy, with court under glass roofs, accommodating 300 or 400 horses. This mart was called after Richard Tattersall (d. 1795), originally a training groom to the last Duke of Kingston, who laid the foundation of his fortune by the purchase, for 2500l., of the celebrated horse "Highflyer." All horses for sale must be sent on the Friday before the day of sale. The days of sale are Mondays throughout the year, and Thursdays in the height of the season. Here is a subscription-room, under the revision of the Jeckey Club (who have rooms in Old Bond street), and attended by all the patrons of the turf, from noblemen down to stable-keepers. Days of meeting, Monday and Thursday throughout the year. Settling days, Tuesday after the Derby, Monday after the St. Leger. It is necessary to have an introduction from a subscriber. Annual subscription, 27. 28. The number of members is stated to be between three and four hundred. The betting at Tattersall's regulates the betting throughout the country. X.-BREWERIES. AMONG the many curiosities to be seen in London few will be found more interesting to the agriculturist than a visit to one or other of the great breweries. The following statement of the malt used by the most eminent London brewers in one year, is supposed to be an average of the consumption for some years past :- Qrs. Barclay, Perkins, and Co., Park-street, Southwark 127,000 59,617 56,640 Whitbread and Co., Chiswell-st., Old-street-road, St. Luke's 51,800 Reid and Co., Liquorpond-street, Gray's Inn-lane Combe and Co., Castle-street, Long Acre Late Calvert and Co., 89, Upper Thames-street. Mann and Co., 172, Whitechapel-road Charrington and Co., Mile-end-road Thorn and Co., Horseferry-road, Millbank 43,282 29,630 24,030 22,023 21,016 15,870 At Barclay's (the largest, extending over 11 acres) 600 quarters of malt are brewed daily. Among the many vats, one is pointed out containing 3500 barrels of porter, which, at the selling price, would yield 9000l. The water used is drawn from a well 367 feet deep; 180 horses are employed in the cartage of beer, &c. They are brought principally from Flanders, cost from 50l. to 80l. each, and are noble specimens of the cart-horse breed. There are four partners in Barclay's house, who conduct every department of it in the most liberal manner. Their head brewer has a salary of 1000l. a year. The founder of the firm was Henry Thrale, the friend of Dr. Johnson, whose house stands in Park-street (once Deadman's-place). The business, at Thrale's death, was sold by Johnson and his brother executor, in behalf of Mrs. Thrale, to Messrs. Barclay, Perkins, and Co., for 135,000l. "We are not here," said Johnson on the day of sale, "to sell a parcel of boilers and vats, but the potentiality of growing rich beyond the dreams of avarice." Robert Barclay, the first of the name in the firm (d. 1831), was a descendant of |