Lysaught's butcher shop, Hill End

1872
Glass photonegative

Before refrigeration, part of the butcher’s skill was estimating the amount of meat that could be sold each day, especially in summer. To make the carcasses more attractive, some butchers made decorative patterns on the surface by slicing through the fat layers to reveal the darker muscle underneath. Price gouging was commonplace. In August 1872, the price of beef in Hill End suddenly rose to 6d a pound [11 cents per kg]. The miners held a meeting to form a meat cooperative and the butchers quickly halved their price.