The Sun.
London, England, 1868-02-24 00:00:00

711 E PEOPLE'S MAKKE7S

Early in December last we had occasion to notice the
opening of the People's Market, 272, Whitechapel-road,
which had been established by Mr. John M'Call, of
Houndsditch, for the sale, at prices below those usually
charged by retail dealers, of butchers' meat, vegetables,
bread, butter, provisions, groceries, and other articles.
The market has now been opened for more than two
months, and during that time an active business has been
done by the salesmen in all the departments. The greatest
amount of goodli were sold in the first week during which
the market was open. The prices charged were then
considerably below the rates at the retail shops in the
neighbourhood, and the inducement to housekeepers to
avail themselves of the market was proportionately great.
In the course of the last few weeks, however, the shop-
keepers, who had felt the effect of this new form of com-
petition, in diminished business, have reduced their prices
to about the same rates as are charged in the market.
Some indeed charge rather less ; but it is doubtful
whether the articles they supply are quite as good
as those which may be obtained of Messrs. M`Call
and Co. The effect of this alteration has been
that some of the retail trade 'of the neighbourhood
has returned to the old channels, and the business
done in the market has slightly diminished in extent. The
market is not, however, entirely dependent upon the
patronage of the dwellers in the immediate vicinity. In
order to extend its advantages to families residing at a
distance, branches have been opened close to the termini
of the Great Eastern, South-Eastern, and North London
Railways. At the two first-mentioned depots a stock of
some articles is kept, and both there and at the third
branch any goods which are ordered in the morning are
delivered the same afternoon. The proprietors of
the People's Market have not confined their attention to
the supply of raw provisions at moderate rates. They
have also made an attempt to deal with the question of
providing cheap cooked food for the poor. Twice a day
they sell good soup—pea, curry, or Scotch broth—at 2d.
a quart, and a pint of any one of these soups, with a
large piece of bread, which is supplied for a' halfpenny,
is found to furnish no bad meal for a labouring man
or woman. So much is the soup approved of by the
people in the neighbourhood of Whitechapel, that about
300 gallons are sold daily, and sometimes as many as 200
persons are to be seen drinking it at one time. Ea sins are
supplied by the proprietors of the market, but the soup-
drinkers have to bring their own spoons. We paid a
visit to the market on Saturday night, at the time that
the soup was being sold, and witnessed the satisfaction
with which it was swallowed by both men and women,
by both old and young. The soup served on Saturday
night was pea-soup, and having tasted it we can vouch
for its being well flavoured, strong, and nourishing. It
certainly hardly merited the lavish encomium which Lord
Brougham one pronounced upon some penny soup in the
House of Lords, greatly to the amusement of the peers,
" Better soup your loidships never tasted ;" but it was such
a liquid as no hard-working man or woman need despise,
and which no unsophisticated palate would reject. For
those who are more nice in their tastes, or are blessed with
more abundant means, there is always on hand a good
supply of cooked meats, hams, tongue, brawn, &c., and as
these are sold at prices considerably under those charged
in the ordinary ham and beef shops, they are always in
brisk demand.