MARKETS AND FAIRS 107 



The inspectors appointed by the Corporation reported that for 

 the week ending December 31st, 1819, there had been killed in Kendal 

 25 cows, 40 calves, and 448 sheep. 



For the year ending August, 1823, the inspector of Raw Hides and 

 Skins reported the number of animals slaughtered in Kendal, viz. : — 

 16,241 sheep, 4,278 calves, and 1,578 cows. The public slaughter 

 houses were opened near the Canal Head in 1869. 



The number of animals slaughtered for the four weeks ending 

 November 7th, 1884, were : cattle 60, sheep 1,097, calves and pigs 

 46, and for the month ending December 5th, cattle 64, sheep 840, emd 

 calves and pigs 32. It must be noted that a large number of carcases 

 of sheep were transmitted every week, when prices would permit, to 

 London and other markets. For the year ending October, 1910, the 

 number of animals slaughtered were : cattle 891 calves 82 pigs 1,163 

 and sheep 6,830. 



About 1843 " badgers " were accustomed to meet the farmers 

 outside the town and buy up their produce before it entered the market, 

 which resulted in the prices being considerably increased. The practice 

 was not stopped till the Mayor issued a proclamation giving notice 

 that all offending in this way would be punished. 



In 1840 many inaccurate weigh-beams and scales were seized 

 by the police and forfeited and publicly burnt. 



In 1858 the Superintendents of Police were appointed Inspectors 

 of weights and measures, a position which had been held by the Market 

 Inspectors up to that time. It was found that nearly all the standard 

 measures had been lost, having been pawned for drink in pubhc houses. 

 In Cumberland and Westmorland, from January ist to February 

 15th, of 6627 weights and measures examined only 100 were found 

 correct in the two counties. In Kendal and Kirkby Lonsdale districts 

 no standard weights were to be found, and fresh ones had to be pro- 

 cured from London. That the Inspectors did not altogether neglect 

 their duties in the old days is evidenced by many accounts in the 

 papers of diseased carcases being seized and burnt on the Kent Side — 

 in 1820 they seized 38 loads of meal which was adulterated, and the 

 two owners were fined £2 each ; farmers from Crook and Stainton 

 were had up for " capping " com, and from the former place in 1819 

 a farmer was fined £50 for concealing grain and making it into malt 



