The Greater Manchester County Record Office is within a stone’s throw of the former site of Manchester’s historically famous markets, Smithfield and Shudehill.
Customers at the fish and poultry market, 1978
As the Northern Quarter has changed and developed, these are preserved in facades and shadows, names of streets and apartments.
Shudehill is now better known as a transport interchange. Oak Street Craft Market is in the old Smithfield Fish and Poultry Market, originally built as a retail Fish Market and opened in 1873. The wholesale Fish Market was sited nearby.
The wholesale fish market in 1900
Fish market 1970s
Market buildings specialising in fruit, vegetables, flowers and meat shared this part of Manchester. Stall holders and porters started their working day in the early hours, as did the men who drove the ‘lurries’, making their deliveries to market.
Smithfield Market in 1966
Food was fresh and seasonal. Pubs were open all hours for the market traders. These markets were bustling places and photographers and the public were drawn to them for a good image or a bargain.
Fruit and veg for donation to old folks home, 1966
There were temporary stalls on Shudehill itself.
It was especially popular for its second hand book stalls.
Shudehill bookstall, 1958
Sometimes it’s a mystery to know what was for sale. It could be budgies in this photo.
Shudehill market, 1958
Any ideas for this one?
You can see more photographs of local markets on our flickr photostream.
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