Collection CLA/013 - SPITALFIELDS MARKET

Identity area

Reference code

CLA/013

Title

SPITALFIELDS MARKET

Date(s)

  • 1682-1991 (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

10.8 linear metres

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

Spitalfields Market dates to the thirteenth century, when the market was held in a field next to St Mary Spittel Church near Bishopsgate. In 1682, King Charles II granted John Balch a Royal Charter that gave him the right to hold a market on Thursdays and Saturdays in or near Spital Square. For the next 200 years, the market supplied fresh fruit and vegetables, becoming known for the sale of home-grown produce, which was being traded there six days a week.

By 1876, a former market porter called Robert Horner bought a short lease on the market and started work on a new market building, which was completed in 1893. In 1920, the Corporation of London acquired direct control of the market, extending the original buildings some eight years later.

For the next 60 years, Spitalfields' expanded and the traffic congestion in the surrounding narrow streets became difficult to manage. The market was forced to move and in May 1991 it reopened in Leyton.

Archival history

CLA/013 1682-1991 Collection 10.8 linear metres Corporation of London

Spitalfields Market dates to the thirteenth century, when the market was held in a field next to St Mary Spittel Church near Bishopsgate. In 1682, King Charles II granted John Balch a Royal Charter that gave him the right to hold a market on Thursdays and Saturdays in or near Spital Square. For the next 200 years, the market supplied fresh fruit and vegetables, becoming known for the sale of home-grown produce, which was being traded there six days a week.

By 1876, a former market porter called Robert Horner bought a short lease on the market and started work on a new market building, which was completed in 1893. In 1920, the Corporation of London acquired direct control of the market, extending the original buildings some eight years later.

For the next 60 years, Spitalfields' expanded and the traffic congestion in the surrounding narrow streets became difficult to manage. The market was forced to move and in May 1991 it reopened in Leyton.

Corporation of London Records Office.

Records of Spitalfields Market, City of London, 1682-1991, including Superintendent and Committee reports; programmes of events; publications about the history of the market; brochures and newsletters; papers relating to the relocation of the market; legal and solicitor's papers; photographs, slides and negatives; rental and tenancy agreements; toll ledgers; accounts ledgers; cash and receipts books and wages books.

In sections according to catalogue.

Available for general access.

Copyright: City of London.
English

Fit

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

For Corporation of London records relating to Markets see: CLA/009: Markets, CLA/010: Billingsgate Market, CLA/011: Leadenhall Market, CLA/012: Foreign Cattle Market, Deptford, CLA/013: Spitalfields market, CLA/014: Newgate Market, CLA/015: Metropolitan Cattle Market, CLA/016: Smithfield Market, CLA/017: London Central Markets, Smithfield, CLA/073: Coal Exchange and Market, COL/CC/BLM: Court of Common Council Billingsgate and Leadenhall Markets Committee, COL/CC/CEM: Court of Common Council Central Markets Committee, COL/CC/CTM: Court of Common Council Cattle Markets Committee, COL/CC/MKC: Court of Common Council Markets Committee, COL/CC/MRI: Court of Common Council Markets Improvement Committee, COL/CC/MRJ: Court of Common Council Joint Markets Advisory Committee, COL/CC/MRK: Markets Committee, COL/CC/MRS: Select Markets Committee (Smithfield Fruit and Vegetable Market), COL/CC/SMC: Special Markets Committee, COL/CC/SPM: Spitalfields Market Committee, COL/CCS: Comptroller and City Solicitor, COL/CCS/CO: Comptroller, COL/CH: Charters, COL/CHD/RN: Chamberlain's Department: Rents and Rentals, COL/PL: Plans, COL/PLD/PL: Planning Department Plans, COL/SVD/PL: Surveyor's Department Plans, COL/TSD/PL: Technical Services Department Plans.

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997. February 2009 Spitalfields Market , Markets Committee , Corporation of London Trade Markets Commercial premises Organisation and management Administration Administrative history Retail trade Street trading Trade (practice) Food trade Fruit trade Agricultural products Vegetable products Europe City of London London England UK Western Europe Covered markets Fruit and vegetable markets

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Corporation of London Records Office.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Records of Spitalfields Market, City of London, 1682-1991, including Superintendent and Committee reports; programmes of events; publications about the history of the market; brochures and newsletters; papers relating to the relocation of the market; legal and solicitor's papers; photographs, slides and negatives; rental and tenancy agreements; toll ledgers; accounts ledgers; cash and receipts books and wages books.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

In sections according to catalogue.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Available for general access.

Conditions governing reproduction

Copyright: City of London.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

For Corporation of London records relating to Markets see: CLA/009: Markets, CLA/010: Billingsgate Market, CLA/011: Leadenhall Market, CLA/012: Foreign Cattle Market, Deptford, CLA/013: Spitalfields market, CLA/014: Newgate Market, CLA/015: Metropolitan Cattle Market, CLA/016: Smithfield Market, CLA/017: London Central Markets, Smithfield, CLA/073: Coal Exchange and Market, COL/CC/BLM: Court of Common Council Billingsgate and Leadenhall Markets Committee, COL/CC/CEM: Court of Common Council Central Markets Committee, COL/CC/CTM: Court of Common Council Cattle Markets Committee, COL/CC/MKC: Court of Common Council Markets Committee, COL/CC/MRI: Court of Common Council Markets Improvement Committee, COL/CC/MRJ: Court of Common Council Joint Markets Advisory Committee, COL/CC/MRK: Markets Committee, COL/CC/MRS: Select Markets Committee (Smithfield Fruit and Vegetable Market), COL/CC/SMC: Special Markets Committee, COL/CC/SPM: Spitalfields Market Committee, COL/CCS: Comptroller and City Solicitor, COL/CCS/CO: Comptroller, COL/CH: Charters, COL/CHD/RN: Chamberlain's Department: Rents and Rentals, COL/PL: Plans, COL/PLD/PL: Planning Department Plans, COL/SVD/PL: Surveyor's Department Plans, COL/TSD/PL: Technical Services Department Plans.

Finding aids

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Publication note

Notes area

Note

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

London Metropolitan Archives

Rules and/or conventions used

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area