Horse Meat Dealers

[MrBarnett]

Do you know if the shop was at her home address, or elsewhere? Only there's a mention of a catsmeat shop being on the corner of Cable Street and Backchurch Lane at the time that the Pinchin St torso was discovered in '89, not 50 yards from the archway.

We can’t be sure, but most likely she lived where she worked. In 1891, she was living at 19, St George Street, which was a shop, but in 1895 her business was listed at no. 47. When Joseph Forsdyke died in 1889, two addresses were recorded: 147, Cable Street appeared on his death cert and no. 139 on his burial records.

Rather curiously, in April, 1889 Joseph was admitted to the St George’s workhouse from the infirmary and was said to be destitute. He was released on his own request on the same day.

Some time ago over on JTRF we tried to identify the cats meat shop on the corner of Cable Street and Backchurch Lane but failed.

[Abby Normal]

was ma lech running a cats meat shop put of her home at the time of the ripper murders?

[MrBarnett]

was ma lech running a cats meat shop put of her home at the time of the ripper murders?

There’s no evidence that she was before the 1890s.

I think between 1888 and 1891 she had three addresses: 1, Mary Ann Street, 147, Cable Street and 19, St George Street. I believe the earliest ref. to her running a cat’s meat (horse meat) business is in 1891 in St George Street.

The mystery address is 139, Cable Street, which doesn’t appear on Joseph Forsdike’s 1889 death cert, but does appear in the burial records. The 1891 census recorded that as an empty premises.

[Abby Normal]

There’s no evidence that she was before the 1890s.

I think between 1888 and 1891 she had three addresses: 1, Mary Ann Street, 147, Cable Street and 19, St George Street. I believe the earliest ref. to her running a cat’s meat (horse meat) business is in 1891 in St George Street.

The mystery address is 139, Cable Street, which doesn’t appear on Joseph Forsdike’s 1889 death cert, but does appear in the burial records. The 1891 census recorded that as an empty premises.

thanks!

[MrBarnett]

Here’s the Stepney Medical For Health describing the trade in horseflesh.

“Dr Thomas states that the bulk of horseflesh sold in London comes from the country, but from sixty to seventy tons a week are produced by a firm of knackers in London itself. With the exception of three firms, the trade is in the hands of East-end purveyors who import seventy-give to eighty tons per week and sell it to the various cats meat shops in London. The meat is boned and boiled before being sent by rail.

Witney Gazette 11th June, 1910

[MrBarnett]

180 tons of cooked and boned cats meat was produced for the London market each week - that’s about 400,000 lbs.

Clearly that’s how the trade worked. The cats meat hawkers/shop owners bought the cooked and boned flesh either directly from the knacker’s (only Harrison, Barber in London) or from one of the wholesalers who imported their stock from the provinces. HB themselves also brought in provincial meat.

But Ma Lechmere bucked the trend - she obtained raw horseflesh and boned and boiled it herself in the Ratcliff Highway. What she did with the bones is a mystery.

And the evidence that Ma - or anyone else in London - was carrying out this kind of illicit activity? It doesn’t exist as far as I’m aware.

[MrBarnett]

“CAT’S MEAT MAN’S PRIDE

Asked at the Southwark County Court yesterday, his occupation, a man replied, “A horse meat salesman.” - Judge Addison: I suppose you mean a cat’s meat man, but think the other sounds better. Horses, however, do not eat meat.”

Daily News 26th January, 1903


There are numerous examples of this kind of thing.

Unless there were no cats meat shops in London, or not a single cats meat shop owner felt it necessary to advertise his business in the Post Office Directory, we should assume that the majority listed as ‘Horse Meat Salesmen’ in the directory ran cats meat shops.

Is it impossible that Ma Lechmere was the exception to the rule and produced her own cats meat from raw horseflesh containing bones? No. Is it extremely unlikely, so much so that we can effectively dismiss the possibility? I’d say so, but possibly Christer’s research has uncovered evidence that I have missed.