LONDON’S MEAT SUPPLY

Evening Star, Issue 22032, 18 May 1935, Page 24

LONDON’S MEAT SUPPLY

(Contributed.)

It is cold and misty before the dawn. A skip laden with meat from the Argentine looms up and approaches the Victoria, Docks, five miles from London. The shore gangs set off by motor launch to board her, so that they can have the derricks up, the hatches lifted, anc * a in readiness to unload immediately the ship touches; for at the docks deruu l *-' rage is an expensive business. Besides, efficiency is of paramount importance in feeding the millions' of London. In the upper holds arc hung the soft, chilled quarters of beef; this is the choicest, like chicken, equal to the best of English beef. In the lower holds, where there is no room to hang, is packed the solid frozen cargo; there are the large, coarser quarters of beet, large .mutton carcasses, bags of boned meat, and smallgoods, and perhaps some huge carcasses of Argentine pork. All along the docks are lined up hundreds of special meat wagons, beautifully panelled inside, airtight, and insulated to keep the meat cool. They are propelled by petrol, steam ; or horse, and usually have a trailer behind. Some can carry up to 15 tons of meat. Manoeuvring a wagon in such a congested place would be difficult, but with ia trailer also ... 1 To unload the ship there are 20 gangs, each of 10 men or so. Theyare mostly Cockneys, whoso lives are divided between their work aitd their beer—little garrulous chaps,, big-hearted, loyal to each other, and jealous _ of the, stranger who would invade their calling. As the ship berths the gangs get busy, for they are on piece work, which goes on day and night until unloading is complete. They make good money, in the day and double at night. Each gang leaves a man at the hatch to guard its interests. The winchman is just a paid employee hauling for several gangs. The men, though small, are adepts at their work, and two of them can easily throw the Scwb quarters of beef into the slings; it is^all a matter of balance. As soon as the ship’s slings touch the quay the inspector examines each carcass before it is taken away in a twowheeled hand truck. The meat is wheeled to the wagons, where the count is chocked by the wagon driver, before he proceeds on the five-mile journey to the London markets \and cool stores. It is not uncommon to see a continuous stream of laden wagons on the road from the docks, and several are parked on the way while the driver refreshes himself with bacon and eggs at one of the numerous coffee houses. There are other outlets also. Meat for South, East, ‘and Central England is despatched from the quay by rail and wagon, and an overhead runway carries meat into the P.L.A. cold stores nearby. During unloading, the docks are a hive of , industry, and in the hubbub is the opportunity for dishonesty, thousands of pounds being lost annually through, pillaging._ Dock police are always there, behind cases, around corners, everywhere, ready even to arrest a man who takes an apple a broken case. Passes are required alsp to enter and leave the docks. But in spite of precautions, leakages occur. A number of hand-truck men may decide to have a hot joint for Sunday. They forthwith rush a wagon driver together and load his wagon so quickly that they confuse his counting. He is given one carcass short, wnich is given to another driver who is in the conspiracy. They divide the spoil later. Also, in delivering meat from the cold stores, the tally clerk, may be bribed to allow a load to be sent out unrecorded. But there is a thorough system of supervision. .Some people call it red tape; it is essential nevertheless. Smithfield is the main market for distribution of meat ■in London, both frozen and fresh, from the abbatoirs at Islington. Leadenhall and Aldgate are well known. Aldgate is the Jewish market, where the animals are blessed by the rabbi before slaughter. The Jews may not eat frozen meat. In winter if is a cold job at Smithfield handling the frozen carcasses, and many seek stimulation in the market hotels, which are open by Act of Parliament early in-the morning and late at night. Smithfield is a busy place; in its thoroughfares hundreds of wagons are lined up, side by side, many of them perhaps laden with New Zealand lambs.