44 THE PISH MARKET AND THE EISH TRADE. 



CHAPTEE lY. 



THE PISH MAEKETS AND THE PISH TEADE. 



The following outline of the early history of the fish trade 

 in this Colony is collected from information supplied by Mr. 

 E-ichard Seymour, the superintendent and salesmen at the 

 Fish Market, Woolloomooloo. 



Fish began to be an article of commerce in Sydney about 

 the year 1827. The projector of the industry was Mr. J. 

 Lord, who, through an agent named Boyle, held sales on the 

 race-course, now known as Hyde Park. The place of sale 

 was subsequently removed to a house in Elizabeth- street 

 between Goulburn and Campbell Streets. Later on again it 

 was transferred to the Market Wharf, and afterwards to the 

 foot of Erskine-street. At this period the supply of fish from 

 Botany was even greater than obtains at the present time, 

 more than 400 baskets arriving daily. Tliis increased supply 

 of fish afforded opportunity to others to enter the field, and Mr. 

 !^ord began to find the monopoly of the business he had so far 

 possessed contested by persons who were eventually success- 

 ful in establishing sales at the several places named, and also 

 at the Circular Quay. In the year 1865 a further sales 

 depot was established in Dowling-street, Woolloomooloo. 

 But the condition in which the fish were presented for 

 sale, and the manner in which the sales were conducted, 

 were beginning to create such a large amount of dis- 

 content that the Sydney Municipal Council, at the 

 instance of the mayor at the time, Mr. Alderman John Woods, 

 took into consideration the desirableness of attempting its 

 regulation. The duty of instituting inquiry into the state of 

 matters was entrusted to a civic officer, Mr. Pichard Seymom'. 

 Mr. Seymour found that the discontent which had been mani- 

 fested was fully justified. He reported that the modes of 

 disposing of the fish at the several sale centres were filthy and 

 most objectionable. The agents wlio had been reaping golden 

 harvests had so far made no attempt whatever to find accom- 

 modation either for the fish brought for sale, or shelter for 

 the women who, for the most 23art, were employed to convey 

 the fish from Botany and other fishing-stations, and that, as 

 a consequence, they had, during the early morning hours, to 



