SMITHFIELD MARKET

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 142, 12 March 1938, Page 7 (Supplement)

SMITHFIELD MARKET

World’s Greatest Meat Centre The Smithfield Market of to-day can be described as a modern miracle in that it supplies many kinds of meat and provisions for the most densely-populated city in the world. From the early hours of Monday morning until noon on Saturday a constant stream of dead meat goes out from its gates to all parts of the metropolis of London and beyond, and, except for the condemned, every carcase of meat of any kind is examined and passed by qualified inspectors as fit for human consumption. The origin of supplies sent to Smithfield during 1936 is particularly interesting in view of the present political controversy on the matter of imports to Great Britain.

In spite of London’s ever-increasing population, the capacity of Smithfield market has never been fully tested. In one record day's trading more than 5000 tons of produce was received, sold, and dispatched. More than 9000 tons of meat can be displayed at one time in Smithfield market, and the shops contain more than 15 miles of display rails. The shopfronts placed side by side would stretch for nearly two miles. Four hundred four-ton lorries can be backed in for unloading supplies at one time, and al lof them can be unloaded in less than an hour by 1600 market porters. Smithfield market provides employment for about 7000 people and to snveep and clean it costs nearly £4OOO a year. During 1932 some 1962 loads of refuse, weighing 2277 tons, were removed from the market, and the story of Smithfield's cleanliness is told in most European cities.

The wholesale meat trade of London is a trade unto itself and has no counteruiart, even for comparative purposes, in Britain or any other country. Smithfield market, in fact, is regarded abroad as the greatest organisation of its kind in .existence, but foreign visitors point out that only in England could such a unique system of marketing endure with success*. — From “London's Markets,” by W. J. Passingham.