Oxford Street was bad for traffic congestion and endangered life and limb. Driving cattle to Smithfield through the thoroughfares of the metropolis e.g. The site was small and by the Victorian era the volume of trade had increased to the point that it was badly overcrowded and a public health nuisance. There being no refrigeration, butchers bought an animal at the market, and slaughtered it themselves. Yet the Foreign Cattle Market survived for 40 years possibly because of irrational prejudice, possibly because butchers could pass off Deptford-killed meat as Scotch or English meat, which sold at a premium.īackground: London's cattle markets The end of Smithfield as a livestock market Demise of overcrowded Smithfield cattle market (satirical print, 1855: British Museum)įor centuries the main cattle market for London had been held at Smithfield. The intercontinental traffic in live animals was not actually necessary, because it was cheaper to import chilled meat, which was of good quality. Both on trains and ships severe methods were used to make recumbent cattle stand up-in case they were trampled to death. Prior to the sea voyages most had endured long journeys on tightly packed cattle trains. In stormy weather numbers of animals were fatally injured, washed overboard, or jettisoned to save the vessel others were stifled to death under closed hatches. Boats also brought live animals across the equator from the pampas of Argentina, and even from the other side of the globe: Australia and New Zealand. Such was the volume and quality of the trade that it had an appreciable impact on the livestock industry of the American and Canadian West. Cattle were brought there from the great grasslands of the world: initially, from Western Europe, Austria-Hungary and the steppes of the Russian Empire 30° to the east but later, and mostly, from the Great Plains of America, literally being rounded up by cowboys. More than a set of buildings in Deptford, it had trading links with four continents: part of what has been called the first globalisation. It could shelter 8,500 cattle and 20,000 sheep at a time, and had 70 slaughterhouses. Besides cattle, the market handled sheep, pigs and a few others. None could leave the market alive: the purpose was to stop the importation of animal diseases. Situated at the former royal Deptford Dockyard on a bend of the River Thames and owned by the City of London, all animals came from overseas, were landed by cattle boat, kept under quarantine conditions, and had to be slaughtered within 10 days of disembarkation. The Foreign Cattle Market, Deptford (1872–1913) was one of the two great livestock markets of London from it came about half the capital's supply of freshly killed meat. It does not store any personal data.For the present-day market in Deptford High Street, see Deptford Market.ĥ1☂9′11″N 0☀1′39″W / 51.4865°N 0.0276°W / 51.4865 -0.0276 " The New Foreign Cattle Market, Deptford: the Central Shed", Illustrated London News, The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly.
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