The cattle market in past times

Preparations for the weekly sheep sale in the early 20th century with a railway porter looking on (extreme right). The animals may well have been brought in by rail for the sale from an outlying farm.

Another sheep sale from a later date, circa 1970. The man in the white coat is the auctioneer, Thomas Lyall, with town butcher George Gelsthorpe, of 9 West Street, also in a white coat, on the left, taking notes of what is on offer. The building behind was used by G R Holliday and Company, agricultural merchants, and also as a market office.

Metal railed pens for cattle and other animals awaiting sale with Hereward Street in the background. These were dismantled in 1988 and the site is now the car park adjoining Budgens' supermarket.

The cattle market premises of T Rickard and Sons Limited, dealer in agricultural implements, known as the Hereward Works. Thomas Rickard was a former employee of Ernest Foley, the man who founded this business, and he bought it when Foley died in 1926. The tall building behind is the back of the Methodist Church which has a frontage in Abbey Road.

See also Ernest Foley

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