WORCESTER'S historic Hop, Cheese and Sheep Fair was still a firm feature of the local calendar in 1951 and the Journal was able to report a record entry of sheep for sale at the city's cattle market.
"The largest number of sheep for 20 years was sold - 7,749 compared with 5,370 last year. The auctioneers were delighted with this abundance of sheep, especially lambs, and report good prices."
Worcester's riverside cattle market has just been demolished and the nation's sheep flocks have been decimated by foot and mouth disease this year. Happily, however, the city now has a new cattle market.
A century ago, the Hop, Cheese and Sheep Fair was hit by lower entries and less interest than usual. The Journal stated: "Fine weather brought a good number of visitors to Worcester though the streets were not as busy as usual. Provision merchants mostly confined their operations to their own shops and stores, which meant there was little selling of cheeses and the like on the streets. Angel Street, however, was occupied, as customary, by vendors of ginger bread and kindred dainties.
"The entries at the cattle market were all round less than last year. Sheep were plentiful but their total was just over 4,000, comparing badly with last year when there were upwards of 6,000."
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