The Express.
London, England, 1867-12-09 00:00:00

PEOPLE'S MARKETS.

Just at this moment, when every one is com-
plaining of the high price of meat and other provisions,
and public attention has recently been called to the want
of good retail markets in many7parts of the metrepolis,
unusual interest attaches to an experiment which is being
tried at the east end of the town. At 272, Whitechapel.
road there was opened on Saturday afternoon what is
called a People's Market for the sale by retail at moderate
prices of meat, vegetables, and other provisions. The
market is the property of a mall limited liability com-
pany, but its real originator is Mr. John M'Call, manufao.
turer of preserved provisions, 137, Houndsditch. About a
year ago Mr. M'Call had Ms attention forcibly directed to
the loss which was occasioned to the poor people in the
district of Whitechapel by their being compelled to rely
solely upon the retail shopkeepers in the neighbourhood for
the supply of provisions, and the oonsideration which be has
since given to the subject has resulted in the erection in the
Whitechapel-road, at a cost of 2,5001., of • simple but
commodious building, 80 feet long by 60 feet wide, which
is intended to be used on every day of the week as a retail
market. The structure is of the plainest character. The
walls are of brick, and the:roof of deal, strengthened with
iron ties ; but the market is lighted at night by two large sun-
lights, which serve the purposes at owed illumination and
ventilation, and on either side of the building is a row of
louvre windows, which may be opened in warm weather.
The fittings are all of deal, but the floor is paved with
coloured tiles. The stalls or shops ran round the building,
one row upon the ground floor and the other in • gallery
above. The arrangements are hardly yet entirely coin.
pleted, and some alteration may possibly be made in the
appropriation of these stalls. When business was nom.
menced, about two o'clock on Saturday, two sides of the
ground area ware allotted to the sale of beef, pork, and
mutton, while the third (the fourth being occupied by the
entrance) was appropriated to the distribution of
potatoes and other vegetables. Nearly the whole of
one side of the gallery was occupied by a
grocery store ; the opposite ewe was divided between
a butter shop and a poulterer's, and at the end there was
a stall for the sale of boots and shoes, and a preserved
meat stall. All these stalls were supplied with the arti-
cles which were sold at them direct from the wholemle
market, and the prices charged were somewhat lower
than those demanded at the retail shops in the neigh.
boatload. The price of legs and loins of mutton was
51d. ; of shoulder", sd. ; and of breasts and necks, aid.
per lb. Beef ranged from sd. for briskets to 73. for best
roasting pieces ; and pork from sd. to 6d. per lb. As
noon as the building was opened buyers flocked in, and the
butchers were soon especially busy. The gropers also did
a thriving trade during the afternoon, and the butter-
man's bands were seldom idle. All the shopkeepers are
in the employment of the company by whom the market
has been erected, and the whole of the business is carried
lon upon its account. Three coppers, each of which will
contain 400 gallons, are being erected in • building out-
side the market, and as soon as they are fixed they will
be set to work to make soup, which will be retailed from
12 to 2 o'clock every day, at a charge of about 2d. • quart.
The sale of cooked ham, beef, fLo.. will also shortly be
added to the branches of business which are already car-
ried on, and there is some idea of establishing • boiling of
oatmeal porridge in the morning. This market, or mis-
cellaneous store, is in a great measure, of course, an ex-
periment. Should it prove succesful, the company will
probably open similar establishments in other parts of the
metropolis.

MOSE KULKITS POE LONDON.—The food com-
mittee of the Society of Arts have this subject under their
consideration. At their meeting on Saturday last it was de-
termined to collect information on this head, with a view
to promote the establishment of additional facilities for
the supply of food to the metropolis.