122 WESTMORLAND AGRICULTURE, iSoo— 1900 



was laid, the Court did not know how to proceed and was doubtful if 

 it could enforce its decision and advised the complainant to consult 

 an attorney ! 



The prices of sheep at St. Luke's Fair in 1840 were : — black-faced 

 lambs 4/6 to 8/6 each ; half-bred Iambs 8/- to 14/- ; black-faced ewes 

 10/- to 15/- ; ditto wethers 15/- to 17/6 ; half-bred ewes 15/6 to 18/- ; 

 black-faced tups 10/- to 31/- ; Leicester lambs 22/- to 30/- ; ditto 

 ewes 36/- to 40/- ; ditto tups 28/- to 42/-. Most of the breeders were 

 well pleased with the fair. 



In 1844 the number of the sheep in the fair was 11,649, ^^^ ^oo 

 to 800 rams, together with a great number of cattle. 



In 1890 "Luke Fair" was described as: "this dirty, noisy and 

 rough old fair, dedicated to the memory of mutton, has come and 

 gone and left its trail of dirt behind it. The town was turned into a 

 huge camp for the space of two days, and drinking booths, not nearly 

 in such numbers as formerly, lined the streets. The Proclamation was 

 read from the ' Charter-stone,' near the New Oddfellows Hall, but 

 the bustling crowd of buyers and sellers was sadly oblivious of the 

 ceremony, and went on its way with a smile at the relic of a bye-gone 

 age." 



The number of sheep exposed in pens, erected by the inhabitants 

 and let to the owners of sheep, at the fair in 1909 was estimated at 

 20,000, and the prices 5/- or more per head down. Blackfaced lambs 

 7/- to 15/- ; wethers, two and three years old, 17/- to 22/- ; ewes 12/- 

 to 24/- ; tups £1 to £5 ; greyfaced lambs 14/- to 26/- ; shearlings 26/- 

 to 32/- ; ewes to 35/- ; Wensleydale tups £2 to £5 ; bullock calves £5 

 to £6 ; strong bullocks £9 to £11. 



The Bailiff for the Lord of the Manor is now G. Bainbridge of 

 Crosby Garrett ; previous to his appointment the office had been held 

 for many generations by the family of Morland. 



The Hirings are held on the Monday before Whit-Sunday and the 

 Monday before Martinmas day, but according to Canon Simpson there 

 used only to be one Statute Hiring and that was held about Martinmas. 

 In addition to the half-yearly hirings there were " Hay-time " hirings 

 held on the Monday before old Midsummer Day and the Monday before 

 and after. They are now held on the Monday nearest St. Peter's day 

 (June 29th) and the two following Mondays. 



