Price of livestock in Cornwall in the 1840s

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Carol Nutley
Posts: 1
Joined: 03 Aug 2021, 06:00

Price of livestock in Cornwall in the 1840s

Post by Carol Nutley »

I was wondering if someone would be able to help me with the price of pigs, sheep and chickens in the 1840s in Cornwall. I am writing a family saga and I am having trouble trying to find out this information. Even giving me a link to an article would be useful.

Thanking you in advance.

Carol Nutley

Tony Pratt
Posts: 10
Joined: 09 Oct 2018, 07:52
Location: Chippenham, Wiltshire
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Re: Price of livestock in Cornwall in the 1840s

Post by Tony Pratt »

Hi Carol,

You have probably sorted this by now, but in case you haven't I have details for Beef, Lamb, Mutton, Pork, Veal, Chicken and Ducks for markets reported in the Cornish newspapers (a variable number of locations) for a representative week in March, June, September and December in 1840, 1845 and 1849 if you would like them (I can do other months/years if you wanted them although it might take a time)

If you would like a copy of the spreadsheet please drop me a mail at my college address, tony.pratt@wiltshire.ac.uk and I will send it to you. As a rough overview most prices were fairly consistent although not all categories were available at all markets all the time - fairly obviously lamb was somewhat seasonal and the records for chicken and ducks is extremely limited, mostly from Penzance. Most meat varied between 4.5 and 6d per pound if that helps.

Please do feel free to get in touch if i can be of any help and I hope your research is going well.

Regards

Tony
I will send this a PM as well.

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