Old Ledbury - Cattle Market

Cattle Market                         Cattle Market 1897 - A Retrospect November 3 a band of Thessalian refugees who had encamped in the Cattle Market, were conveyed in a waggon to Ross. During their stay they were visited by Lady Henry SOMERSET, who was very kind to them   1898 - A Retrospect November 3 a band of Thessalian refugees who had encamped in the Cattle Market, were conveyed in a waggon to Ross. During their stay they were visited by Lady Henry SOMERSET, who was very kind to them   December 20 The last meeting or show for the season of the Ledbury Fruit Market, was held in the newly-erected fruit shed in the Cattle Market. These were commenced in October, and have since proved a very important addition to the Ledbury Markets.   1900 - A Retrospect September 13 Ledbury Fruit Market was opened for the first time.   1901 - A Retrospect September 10 Ledbury Fruit Market re-opened.   1902 - A Retrospect December 2 Christmas Stock Sale at Priors Court, Ledbury.   November 19 Mr. W. MANTON, auctioneer, of Ledbury, died after a long illness, aged 55 years.   Ledbury Guardian Newspaper 03 10 1914, 10 10 1914 and 17 10 1914 LEDBURY PRODUCE MARKET There was a very fair attendance, and a good supply of produce on offer. There was a better demand for butter. Prices: Butter (wholesale 1s 2d. retail 1s 3d. and 1s 4d. per lb., eggs (wholesale 10 and 11 for 1s., retail 8 and 9 for 1s., fowls 4s. per couple, ducks 5s. per couple, rabbits 8d. each, potatoes 1s per peck. LEDBURY CORN MARKET Quotations:- Wheat 4s 8d. to 5s per bushel, new beans 4s to 4s 1d., old beans 5s., vetches 4s 9d, to 5s 9d., old oats 30s. per quarter, new oats 24s. to 26s., best maize 38s., other sorts 28s. to 32s. f.o.r. Sharpness, flour firm, 1s up. Ledbury Guardian Newspaper 14 11 1914 PRODUCTION OF MILK Sir, May I ask for your valuable aid in pressing forward a scheme for obtaining an official guarantee of milk records. The scheme comes under a grant from the Board of Agriculture, and if accepted by this county will be a lasting boon to the dairy industry and of immense value to a county like Hereford, where a great number of people experience difficulty in obtaining milk. If any person keeping one or more cows will kindly write me and say they are prepared to keep records of milking, then at times an agent appointed for the county will call and check the records and give the owner a certificate declaring the milking value of the recorded cows. The recording of milk is an easy process, once a week the milk is weighed, which does not take two minutes per cow. A bucket on a spring balance is all that is required. A smart appliance can be purchased for a small sum, the enterprise of a local ironmongers will no doubt supply these useful articles. Entirely apart from the value of a milk certificate, any owner of cows will quickly find the value of keeping a milk record. A recent importation of 30 Dutch cattle into this country produced a record average price of over £230 and the price obtained was undoubtedly owing to the Dutch record system which we are asking to adopt in England. I own cows and am a member of the County Livestock Committee. I am also chairman of the Ledbury branch of this society. The absence of any energy at the county headquarters forces me into the breach. I have had cows giving 1000 gallons within 12 months. I will back my support of this scheme if adopted in Herefordshire by saying that I shall be prepared to give £40 apiece for the first six cows not having had more than three calves that give 1,000 gallons during their period of lactation when under the certificate record system, at the same time the owner would be money in pocket to keep such cattle. Yours truly, FRED BALLARD November 11th 1914 Ledbury Guardian Newspaper 21 11 1914 and 28 11 1914 LEDBURY PRODUCE MARKET There was a very fair attendance, but the supply of produce is not getting less. Prices: Butter (wholesale) 1s. 3d. per lb., retail 1s 4d. to 1s. 5d. per lb., eggs (wholesale) 6 for 1s., retail 5 for 1s., fowls 3s. 6d to 4s. per couple, ducks 4s. per couple, rabbits 6d. to 8d. each, potatoes 1s. per peck. LEDBURY CORN MARKET There was a good attendance at the Feathers Hotel Corn Exchange on Tuesday afternoon and the markets are much firmer all round. Any amount of stuff on offer. Quotations: Wheat 5s. to 5s. 3d. bushel, new beans 4s. to 4s. 3d., old beans 5s., vetches 4s. 9d. to 5s. 9d., old oats 30s per quarter, new oats 24s. to 26s., best maize 38s., other sorts 28s. to 32s. f.o.r. Sharpness, flour, firm, 1s. up. Ledbury Guardian Newspaper 12 12 1914, 19 12 1914 and 26 12 1914 LEDBURY PRODUCE MARKET There was a very fair attendance, but the supply of produce is not getting less. Prices: Butter (wholesale) 1s. 4d. per lb., retail 1s. 5d. to 1s. 6d. per lb., eggs (wholesale) 7 for 1s., retail 5 and 6 for 1s., fowls 3s. 6d. to 4s. per couple, ducks 4s. per couple, rabbits 10s. per dozen, potatoes 1s. per peck. LEDBURY CORN MARKET There was a good attendance at the Feathers Hotel Corn Exchange on Tuesday afternoon and the markets are extraordinary firm. Any amount of stuff on offer. Quotations: Wheat 5s. to 5s. 3d. bushel, new beans 4s. to 4s. 3d., old beans 5s., vetches 4s. 9d. to 5s. 9d., old oats 30s. per quarter, new oats 24s. to 26s., best maize 38s., foreign barley 28s. to 32s., f.o.r. Sharpness, flour, firm, 36s. 280lbs. Possibly 1940's   Remember Walking Past one Market Day. On A Windy Day When spraying Down Pens. Didn't Make that Mistake Again. Yukky.!!!...BW     1946/7/8   Taken at the back entrance to the Ring of Bells. I am told that it was before a pub outing. In the picture are Arch (Zar) SMITH - always wore a trilby!, Jack TAYLOR and Johny CHESTER. At the front is Tress NOOT - although at this time was probably SMITH (before she was married) and the landlord's daughter. It is just after the war - 1946/7/8 and all 3 had recently returned from active service: Arch with the Army in North Africa, Jack with the Royal Navy on North Sea convoy escort duties and Johny with the RAF in Persia.   Fab pics of the cattle market are so rare..LJ   Again great photo see the old market perfectly...CP   I use to love Tuesdays when it was Market Day...BH   Shelagh (HODGETTS) used to take me to see the animals...LG   Walking along the planks at the back of the sheep pens - getting from one side to the other without touching the ground - and then Fred Bradley would come and shout at us. Harmless fun!...JB   Amazing history!...SD   Jim NOOT met Tress when he came into Ledbury for a drink while working on the M50 motorway construction...   Used to sit on the bences at the back, dad would get me a bag of Smiths crisps & a bottle of Vimto, whilst he went in for a pint of wallop...BH   Jim told me that Judy. One quiet night years ago in the Ring I asked him how he came to be around here and puffing away on his pipe he told me that story lovely bloke was Jim...CP     1950s   Fred BRADLEY walking down New Street towards the Market     1953   1953 February 8th, C T & G H SMITH, Cattle Market, Mr F LEWINGTON and Mr J P LIKE     1960s   Frank HOPKINS of Auctioneers C.T. & G.H. Smith selling sheep - Jim LARGE auctioneer's clerk     Jim LARGE selling in Ledbury Furniture Saleroom with Howard PUGH auctioneer's clerk     1970s   Ledbury Christmas Fatstock Show 1970's     The good old days when we were children spent most of the day on a Tuesday in the Market Man with hand on hip Brian BOX, also in photo Fred and Les GOODCHAP, Les FOOTMAN Cutting also appeared in the Ledbury Reporter, sent in by Val HALE, whose father Frederick GOODCHAP of Woodroft Farm, Bosbury was in the crowd that day.   Starting one side to the other without touching the ground!...CT   Happy Days, riding on Freds little cart...JVE   Loved Market day, you can't beat the old days I used to have great fun playing in the market xx...BS   Me too! Shelagh used to take me to the market; I loved it n all the animals - happy days xx...LG   Remember that Graig we played tag also Cow banging a tanner to drive the cows to the station...TR   Spent many happy hours playing in the cattle market and helping Fred...MH   The man with his hand on his hip my wifes brother Brian BOX...CD   Yes as a child used to love market day watching them sell the cattle xx...BS   Fred and Les GOODCHAP and Les FOOTMAN in photo...CD   Just about remember dad selling some of our livestock down there as a kid...MS   Hubby and I set up our suckler herd from this market buying 'red' Limousin heifers as we couldn't afford the black ones which always made more money!!...JS   Spent many an hour when I was a kid helping old " Fred ". Can any of you remember him?...MH   Was he a little man used to hose the pens down...CP   Remember the wooden panel things on top of pens where auctioneers used to sell from, we would spend hours running along them playing chase,, & the concrete building where they used to sell cattle from had many crafty fag in there!!!...CP   That was the man Carole and the concrete building could have told many a tale !!!...MH   Ha ha xx...CP   That was Fred Bradley always used to run out shouting at you if you were anywhere near the cattle/sheep pens...JB   Thanks for sharing this lovely photo. I used to love playing up the market and having a ride on Fred's truck. Great memories...JVE   I remember the concrete cow ring, many a Saturday night on the Babycham or GL before the Youth Club disco!!!...JVE   OMG GL from Ring O Bells...JB   Fred Bradley used to live in the sheds by the sale room. He had a paraffin heater in there. That's why he looked a bit black some mornings. When he became poorly and a little too old he was taken into Leadon Bank for a few years of care where he felt very caged up and could not cope with the heat. A Very nice and trustworthy man....JM   ...     Sheep pens     Sheep pens     Jim LARGE selling sheep   I was at school with Helen LARGE in Bosbury and JMHS until they moved to Cornwall. Jim used to be an auctioneer and I used to love going to auctions with my parents!...NW   Remember Jim well played in The Waggoners with my ex Graham TOW...LL   My sister, Elaine, worked with Jim at C.T. & G. H. Smith back in the 1960s...MI     Sheep buyers   The gentleman with the tie on is a Mr BROOKS from Suckley or Worcester.     Breeding Ewe pens     Sheep buyers - Graham ANDREWS, Bosbury in check shirt   I worked at Graham ANDREWS farm in Bosbury back in the early 70's with my mum-in-law Eileen MANNS and Auntie- in- law Ann HILL. Hop tying which I hated! His wife was Barbera. Lovely Lady...SM   Me too went hop tying there too...JBR   Gosh Uncle Graham looks young ha...LP   My grandad Ernie HALL worked and lived in one of Grahams houses just up the road for many years and nellie me gran...JW   We were married in 1967, moved up in 1968, still living here, Graham and Barbara lived down the Grange from us...RB     Mike SPENCER of Ledbury & District Abattoir judging pigs     Thirsty sow drinking beer from a pint glass with amused onlookers   George BAKER on the right, he worked for Morris, Wargent & Wilde...BM     1980 10th December Fatstock Christmas Show     Fred and Joyce HARRINGTON   ...     Bruce BLANDFORD presenting L Tilley & Son Challenge Cup to Fred HARRINGTON for the Champion Beast.   ...     Fred HARRINGTON's prize cattle proud of their trophies   ...     Lamb Carcass competition - carcasses displayed in the Furniture Sale Room.   Bruce BLANDFORD was Show President that year - the Chairman was Mr Stan HILL of Colwall. The cattle judges that year were Bob ENSOR of Cinderford, David WATKINS of Fownhope and Mike SPENCER of Ledbury & District Abattoir. On the evening of the Show there was a Fatstock Dinner held at The Plough Inn. A four course roast beef meal - ticket price £4.75 !...JLA   1980     Howard PUGH with young James PUGH seated on prize bullock - David PUGH with halter     Post 1980         Now that is good to see, memories...JJ   So glad Mr HAFFENDEN took all these...JB   Bens favourite place!!!...ECS   Aww. Used to take my children there on market day and then into Woolies for a small toy. Happy days x...CE   Seems like yesterday, as well as taking my little ones there, I also used to play in there, running along the wooden planks on top of the pens, as Claire said happy days...CP   Great fun in here x...HCB   Such a shame when this went...ED   Elaine yes I miss it, used to play in the pens and help Fred clean the pens out, one of my favourite places!!! they are all going slowly!...JVE   Fred had many little friends to help him. He must have had the patience of a saint!! Gone are the days sadly...MH   Yes l used help old fred clean up to. Long time a go ...SF   Fred used to come to our house for his Christmas dinner xx...PP   One of the best places to play in Ledbury was def the old cattle market - must have had really good imagination...SD   Memories come flooding back, GL from new inn etc!!...NR   Newcastle Brown from the Brewery and getting caught when my Uncle Ron opened the hatch not Hilda lol...SD   Ah! ha ha forgot about that very funny, good times everyone happy...NR   Life much easier when your a kid/teenager- just didnt know it at the time lol...SD   I always remember dad telling me when his mum went into labour with him she was in the black out in the cattle market. No I dont know why and in her rush to get home to the Firs, Bridge St next to the flats, she fell over the fences of one of the pens! When she did eventually get home, no one had a shilling to lend her, so she ended up giving birth in the dark!...LJ     Post 1980   It was the end of an era on Wednesday morning as the fittings of Ledbury Cattle Market were auctioned off to make way for the new Community Hospital. The £4m hospital will be built by developers Shaw Homes (HA) Ltd, which bought the site off Ledbury Markets and Fairs Co earlier this year. Around 200 farmers gathered to bid for the last sheep ever to be sold in the market town. Watching the sale, the chairman of the Ledbury and District Society Trust, Mrs Veslemoy LUNT, said: "IƊm absolutely devastated. This is a market town and now we have lost the market. We are becoming more and more an ordinary town. "I'm not against a new hospital but this will prove to be wrong place for a hospital. " Town councillor Martin EAGER, chairman of the planning committee, agreed. "This is the biggest mistake Ledbury has ever made; the saddest day. People will look back and wonder at what we've done, " he said. There were 293 lambs sold at an average of 92p per kg, which auctioneer Howard PUGH described as "a fair price". Afterwards, the fittings and effects of the Cattle Market itself were auctioned off by Mr PUGH. Cradley farmer Joe JACKSON, aged 86, recalled how he first came to the market on a horse and cart. He said the sell-off was "a shame. " Farmer Ken BROOKE of Friars Court, Kempley, said: "I'm very sad. But I was a director of the Ledbury Markets and Fairs Company. The sale of the site was what the shareholders wanted. It was their only chance to realise their assets. ' Mr BROOKE bid successfully for the Belcher Cup, the first market cup he won in 1969 for the best four steers. Another former director, John BISHOP of Cummings Farm, Colwall, said: "Four generations of my family sold stock here. It's a sad day. But times have to change. Even major livestock markets are under pressure." The highest price paid was for the great steel-framed sheep pen building itself, which went for £1,600, not including the asbestos roof, which must be removed and disposed of by specialist contractors. There were 28 lots in total, from steel pens and cobblestones through to the weighbridge, which went for just £15. Buyers have until December 20 to remove their property from the site. Anything left will be cleared away so that development can begin. Auctioneer Mr PUGH said: "I'm still disappointed with the use of the site, that it is to be built on. "I started here at 16 from school, from clerk to auctioneer upwards. I've not been the happiest person for the past week. " BY GARY BILLS-GEDDES     Sources 1914 Newent Reporter Newspaper - Herefordshire History 1914 - 1919 Ledbury Guardian Newspaper - Herefordshire History 1916 Tilley's Almanack Photographs are credited to the owners Comments are from members of the Old Ledbury Facebook Group Cuttings from Ledbury Reporter newspapers   Sources 1902 Jakeman and Carver's Directory and Gazetteer of Herefordshire 1914 Newent Reporter Newspaper - Herefordshire History 1914 - 1919 Ledbury Guardian Newspaper - Herefordshire History 1897 - 1980 A Retrospect Tilley's Almanack's - Herefordshire History Photographs are credited to the owners where possible Comments are from members of the Old Ledbury Facebook Group Cuttings are from Old Ledbury Reporter Newspapers