ii8 WESTMORLAND AGRICULTURE, 1800— 1900 



The Corporation were entitled to tolls in any part of the town. In 

 1861 the tolls were reduced to a quart from every half quarter or 

 8 pecks of grain of all kinds and a pint from every half quarter of oats — 

 in this year the Corporation kept the tolls in their own hands and 

 appointed a collector. 



For many years the Metley and Gateby tolls were let together, 

 and in 1815 they brought £225 ; in 1840 the same tolls realised £30. 

 As early as 1854 it was proposed to abolish the Gateby or Passage 

 toll as being detrimental to the town, but it was not till the Head 

 Court, in October, i860, that the Corporation resolved to retain the 

 Passage Toll in their own hands, it being understood that it would 

 not be enforced. At the same Court, in 1862, the weighing machine 

 was let for £5 5s., the Beast ToU and Stallage for £4, the Shambles 

 Toll for £17, and the Metley and Potato Toll for £40. 



The Beast Toll and Stallage, usually caUed " Blood-money," 

 was abohshed in 1887 ; the year previous it had only realised 7s., 

 it had existed from time immemorial, and consisted of the payment 

 by every butcher in the borough of i/- per annum. 



Wool fairs were started in 1837, they were held on the last Wednes- 

 day in June, and July and on St. Lawrence's Day, August 21st each 

 year ; at the July fair in 1865 about 10,000 fleeces were shown, the 

 greater proportion being from half-bred and black- faced fell stock. 

 The wool fairs have long ceased to be held. 



The usual market appointments were made in 1877 ; they con- 

 sisted of bailiffs, appraisers, swine-lookers, house lookers, ale tasters, 

 market-lookers, and constables. All these offices were held that year 

 by R. Bowlerwell and W. Birbeck ; the clock-keeper was J. H. 

 Mercer and the coroner T. Wilson. These appointments were made 

 annually till 1885, when the Corporation was reincorporated under 

 the Municipal Corporations Act of 1882. 



In 1886 the following rents for stalls, etc., were fixed to be paid 

 on the markets and fairs and market places of the Borough : — 

 For every temporary butcher's stall erected outside the Market House the sum 



of 2/- per day. 

 For each set of hobby horses, or bicycles if propelled by steam, the sum of 5/- 



for the first day of erection, and 2/6 for each succeeding day ; and if 



propelled by hand, the sum of 3/- for the first day of erection, and 1/6 



for each succeeding day. 



