THE FISH MARKET AND THE FISH TRADE. 49 



auctioneer's voice. Everything necessary for cleansing purposes is placed in 

 connection with these troughs, and those who rent them have only one fault 

 to find with the arrangement — that is the 5s. required of them as rent. 

 Complete arrangements are present for flushing the floors with salt water ; 

 and if this should fail through any fault in the machinery, fresh water can 

 be obtained at a moment's notice. The old market is scarcely half the size 

 of the new one. It is now closed awaiting demolition, as its site is to be 

 occupied by an extension of the new market. Older still is the first fish 

 market, now long disused. A well-known genial alderman and ex-mayor 

 makes it a duty every morning to pay a visit to the Fish Market. In sun and 

 rain alike he is present at the morning sales, and doubtless knows the 

 frequenters of the place as well as the auctioneer himself. He has some 

 interestins: reminiscences to tell of the old days at the markets. " In that 

 corner," he said, pointing to the spot, " was sold the first lot of fish ever put 

 up in the market. The fishermen thought they could not get a sufficient 

 price for their goods by auction, and refused to patronise the markets. One 

 morning a fisherman put his stock in the markets by way of experiment, 

 and was surprised to find that he received better prices for it thajj.. if he 

 disposed of it himself. The next day the market was full of fish, and so the 

 auction sales were established. This market was not a good one, however, 

 for there was something in the cement on the floor which turned the fish 

 bad, so it had to be abandoned." The refrigerating-room in the markets is 

 quite a modern innovation. It is situated in a corner of the old market, and 

 is well patronised. Here may be stored any fish for which there is no sale 

 on one morning, to be brought out fresh on the next. I saw a number 

 of various kinds of fish disposed about it, among which were alar^e quantity 

 of corpulent Murray Eiver cod. These were afterwards put up for auction, 

 and despite the fact that they averaged something like 14 lb. each, only 

 realised 6s. 6d. a piece. "I don't know how it is," said Mr. Seymour, 

 emphatically, " but our people don't like frozen fish." Considering that the 

 fishmongers may easily obtain Is. a pound for these fish, it is rather curinus 

 that they brought so little. Probably there is some truth in what Mr, 

 Seymour said regarding the prejudice against frozen fish. Others besides 

 those in the fish trade evidently utilise this refrigerating-room, as some 

 poultry was visible hanging in a rueful fashion, head downwards from 

 the roof. One halfpenny a pound is the charge for placing meat or fish in 

 this room, which considering its advantages is certainly a very moderate 

 charge. 



In London and other large towns there is a market at which fish may be 

 bought retail, and inquiries have often been made as to the reason no such 

 place is in existence here. The answer is that it was tried, and failed. 

 In the old market may yet be seen the stalls which were fitted up for the 

 purpose, and rented to fishmongers. The public, owing probably to the 

 inconvenience of the position for such a market, refused to visit it, and the 

 enterprise lapsed ; but there is no reason to suppose that such a market, 

 placed in a central position, would not be remuneratively patronised. 

 Although the supply of fish from Newcastle had not arrived at the market 

 up to the time I left, owing to the delay of the steamer by the dense fog, 

 there was a goodly supply of fish on the floor. To enumerate them all 

 would, perhaps, not be feasible in the space allotted to me. Schnapper there 

 were in fair quantities, and of good edible size, tinted like the mother-of- 

 pearl shell, and beautifully fresh. The whiting — sand-whiting — were of large 

 size, and in the pink of condition. This most delicate of breakfast fish was 

 in great demand, and brought a substantial price. The garfish were not so 



