Billingsgate Fish Market

Billingsgate Fish Market is the United Kingdom's largest inland fish market. It takes its name from Billingsgate, a ward in the south-east corner of the City of London, where the riverside market was originally established. In its original location in the 19th century, Billingsgate was the largest fish market in the world. The current market is located off Trafalgar Way in Poplar, East London, at the eastern end of the North Dock of the West India Docks; a move to a new site at Albert Island east of London City Airport in Newham is being planned. History City of London Billingsgate Wharf, close to Lower Thames Street, became the centre of a fish market during the 16th and 17th centuries but did not become formally established until the Billingsgate, etc. Act 1698 (10 Will. 3. c. 13). Billingsgate Market Act 1846 The Billingsgate Market Act 1846 (9 & 10 Vict. c. cccxlvi) repealed various older enactments relating to the market. Repealed enactments Section 1 of the act repealed ? enactments "so far as they relate to or affect the Supply of Fish to and the Regulation of the said Billingsgate Market", listed in that section. Late 19th century In 1850, the market, according to architect Sir Horace Jones, "consisted only of shed buildings ... The open space on the north of the well-remembered Billingsgate Dock was dotted with low booths and sheds, with a range of wooden houses with a piazza in front on the west, which served the salesmen and fishmongers as shelter, and for the purposes of carrying on their trade." In that year the market was rebuilt to a design by J. B. Bunning, the City architect. Bunning's building was soon found to be insufficient for the increased trade, and the Corporation obtained the Billingsgate Market Act 1871 (34 & 35 Vict. c. lv) to rebuild and enlarge the market, which was done to plans by Bunning's successor as City architect Sir Horace Jones. The new site covered almost twice the area of the old, incorporating Billingsgate Stairs and Wharf and Darkhouse Lane. Work began in 1874, and the new market was opened by the Lord Mayor on 20 July 1877. The new buildings, Italianate in style, had on their long frontages towards Thames Street the river, a pedimented centre and continuous arcade, flanked at each end by a pavilion tavern. The general market, on a level with Thames Street, had an area of about 30,000 square feet (2,800 m2), and was covered with louvre glass roofs, 43 feet (13 m) high at the ridge. A gallery 30 feet (9.1 m) wide was allocated to the sale of dried fish, while the basement served as a market for shellfish. Electric lighting was also furnished in November 1878 via 16 Jablochkoff Candles. The opening of the railways changed the nature of the trade, and by the late nineteenth century most of the fish arrived at the market via the Great Eastern Railway. Poplar In 1982, the fish market was relocated to a new 13-acre (53,000 m2) building complex in Poplar, close to Canary Wharf financial estate. The freehold owner of the site is the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, but the City of London Corporation still runs the market; they pay an annual ground rent stipulated in an agreement between the two councils as "the gift of one fish". Most of the fish sold through the market now arrives there by road, from ports as far afield as Aberdeen and Cornwall. Billingsgate Market is open from Tuesday to Saturday. Trading commences at 4 a.m. and finishes at 8:30 a.m. Security for the market is provided by the private Market Constabulary. Traditionally, the only people allowed to move fish around the market were licensed fish porters. The role dates back at least to Henry VIII, and was officially recognised by the Corporation of London in 1632. In 2012, a bitter battle was fought between modernisers and traditionalists. The modernisers won and the role of the porters ended. Future In early 2019, the City of London Corporation's main decision-making body, the Court of Common Council, proposed that Billingsgate, New Spitalfields Market and Smithfield Market should move to a new consolidated site in Dagenham Dock. A formal planning application was made in June 2020, and received outline permission in March 2021. The new consolidated market was expected to become operational in 2027/2028, when the Billingsgate Market site would be available for redevelopment. In November 2024, the council announced it did not intend to proceed with these plans as they were no longer economically viable; instead, Billingsgate Fish Market and Smithfield Market would close in or after 2028 with no replacements. However, in December 2025, the Corporation and the Greater London Authority signed a memorandum of understanding to relocate both wholesale markets at Albert Island east of London City Airport in Newham, and in June 2026 the GLA started to procure a partner for the £220m markets development. In culture The infamously coarse language of London fishmongers made "Billingsgate" a byword for crude or vulgar language. One of its earliest uses can be seen in a 1577 chronicle by Raphael Holinshed, where the writer makes reference to the foul tongues of Billingsgate oyster-wives. A "Billingsgate" was defined in a 1736 dictionary as "a scolding impudent slut". Isaac Cruikshank's 1805 cartoon, A New Catamaran Expedition!!, depicts an army of fishwives crossing the sea and threatening the French, with the central boat being named The Billingsgate Cutter. The painting Billingsgate Fish Market by George Elgar Hicks portrays the interior of the market in 1861. It was displayed in the Royal Academy Exhibition of 1861 at the National Gallery. The market is depicted during Tudor times in Rosemary Sutcliff's 1951 children's historical novel The Armourer's House. The writer George Orwell worked at Billingsgate in the 1930s, as did the Kray twins in the 1950s. See also Worshipful Company of Fishmongers Notes References External links Official Billingsgate Market page from the City of London Corporation website Old official page