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St Johns Market
This extensive structure, the largest of it's kind in the kingdom is 183 yards long and 45 yards broad and was erected by the corporation at an expense of £35,296. The first stone was laid on the 20th of August 1820, and the opening took place on the 7th March 1822. It is situate in Great Charlotte street and is built of brick, except the entrances, cornice and foundation which are composed of free stone . It is lighted by 136 windows. There are eight handsome stone entrances, three on each side and one at each end
There are 160 stalls, three yards each, allotted to the sale of various articles with 201 table compartments, each one yard used for the sale of vegetables, eggs, poultry: 36 fish standings, 1 and a half yard each, 122 benches for vegetables,
14 fruit standings, three yards each, 28 green standings three yards each, and 44 stone compartments allotted to the sale of potatoes,. On the west side beneath the shops there are 29 cellars, used for stores. The whole of the floor is flagged and there are five cast iron pumps, one of which supplies warm and the others cold water. Every night previously to the market being locked up the floor is washed and swept by a number of men who are employed for this purpose, and two watchmen remain inside to guard the premises
The rents charged for the various premises which are taken by the quarter, are for shops £18 per annum, and £2 12s for gas light: butchers stalls £8, and the corner ones £10, outer fish standings £8, and the inner ones £4, vegetable and fruit stalls £6, potato compartments £3, the corner ones £3.4s, cellars £5, table compartments £1 12s, bench ditto 12s.
The following are a few of the by-laws that have been made for the regulation of the market by the corporation:- any person bringing a dog into the market is liable to a fine of ten shillings - butter not to be sold by any other weight than 16 ounces to the pound :- Any purchaser may have artciles weighed at the offices of the authorised weighers, on payment of a halfpenny for things under a hundredweight, and a penny over a hundredweight.
Those carriers who are registered wear badges on their arm, and for carrying any burden 100 yards distance they are entitled to charge 2d, for 800 yards 3d, for 1200 yards 4d, and for any greater distance within the borough 6d: and if detained more than half an hour prior to being despatched they can demand an additional charge of 2d, and if called but not employed they can also charge 2d.
