no WESTMORLAND AGRICULTURE, 1800-1900 



On Monday, March 22nd, 1875, Hetherington opened his Auction 

 Mart near the Duke of Cumberland Inn, where sales have been held 

 weekly ever since, though the control of the Mart has undergone many 

 changes, and it is now the property of a Limited Liability Company. 

 A sale for hides and skins was instituted at this Mart on Friday, 

 February 2nd, 1877 ; the prices for skins in 1883 were : hides to 3fd., 

 calf skins to 6|d., and rough sheep skins 5/5. In the same year Ameri- 

 can fresh meat was sold by auction in the Market Hall, five carcases 

 of sheep and half a carcase of beef being sold for 4|d. to 8d. per lb. 

 On the 6th of December, 1877, a prize fat show was held at this Mart, 

 when £75 was offered in prizes in 21 classes. The number of animals 

 sold at the Mart in this year was 3,280 head of cattle and 23,820 sheep 

 and lambs, and it should be noted that in March beef brought 10/- 

 to 10/6 per stone and mutton i/- to 1/2 per lb. In the following 

 year Kirkby's Auction Mart was opened near the station yard. This 

 remained in the hands of the proprietor till he died in 1886, it then 

 became known as the Kendal Farmers' Auction Company — the two 

 rival auctions finally amalgamated in 1902. At this time the com- 

 missions charged at the auctions were for cattle, sheep and horses 6d. in 

 the £ under £5, and 3d. in the £ over £5 per lot. Annual ram sales 

 were started at the auctions in the autumn of 1880, when Lincoln 

 shearling rams brought £3 15s. to £4 17s. 6d. each and Leicester 

 shearlings to £12 12s. In June, 1883, both Marts started an additional 

 sale on Wednesday each week, but this did not continue for long. 

 The number of animals that passed through the Mart in 1903 was : 

 fat cattle and calves 1,201, store cattle 1,886, and sheep 35,179. In 1907 

 the numbers were : fat cattle and calves 1,331, store cattle 2,091, and 

 sheep 33,036. For the year ending December 31st, 1909, the numbers 

 passing through the Kendal ring were : fat cattle and calves 1,464, 

 store cattle 1,838, and 40,312 sheep and lambs. The company's report 

 for the year ending December 31st, 1908, showed a profit of £219 5s. 3d. 

 a dividend of 5 per cent, absorbing £200 was paid and the balance 

 carried to reserve. In 1909 the auction company started a scheme of 

 insurance against the seizure of fat tuberculous cattle, the vendor 

 paying 6d. per head for each bullock or heifer sold, and i/- per head 

 for each cow or bull, no bullock or heifer to be sold for less than £10 

 and no cow or bull for less than £12 — full compensation to be paid 

 by the company less value of hide, fat, offal, etc. 



