IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
High Street, MANCHESTER, M4 1BF

Entrance at 70 Shude Hill.

The carved image and datestone at the eastern end of Image It gives the date of opening as 14th of February 1873, and names Mr Booth the Mayor. The carving was by Henry Bonehill.

The easternmost range of Image, topped by Image Only the facades of the old fish market have survived, including the gates by Hodkinson Pynton & Lester.

During the nineteenth century, the area now known as the Northern Quarter was dominated by the Smithfield Market. This first appeared on the map in 1844, when the stalls which would become the Smithfield Market began to pop up in the Shudehill area. The Smithfield Fish and Poultry Market was opened in 1873 on Oak Street. At the height of its success, in 1953, Smithfield Market dominated the site bounded by Shudehill, Swan Street, Oak Street and Thomas Street. It featured a market office, covered market, wholesale fish market, fish market office, and retail fish market. There were numerous warehouses dedicated to the storage of fruit and vegetables and on Blossom Street, in Ancoats, an ice plant for the preservation of produce. The former Wholesale Fish Market on High Street and Thomas Street consisted of a market hall which has since been since been redeveloped. The outside walls, gates and sculptures have been saved, along with some of the wrought iron internal columns walls; the remainder has been incorporated into a new residential complex The High Street (south) façade of the former market consists of 4 wide gables, each having a symmetrical 3-bay composition. It is notable for its central arches with wrought-iron gates and segmental lintels with inscriptions, and carved tympana depicting different episodes of a fishing voyage sculpted by Henry Bonehill (see Image It is a Grade II listed building (English Heritage Building ID: 388186 http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-388186-former-wholesale-fish-market-#.VpTSZ3nnknU British Listed Buildings)

The majority of the former huge Smithfield Market has long gone but a few remnants remain. One such is the facade of the Fish Market on High Street. Behind it now is private housing. For more information see Manchester History dot net http://manchesterhistory.net/manchester/gone/smithfield.html

The former wholesale fish market was closed in the 1970s, and the roofs removed. Two apartment blocks occupy the land, but the south and north facades have been retained. The remains are a grade II listed building. This facade is decorated with carved reliefs of the fishing trade above the gateways. The Northern Facade is plain - see Image See https://www.manchesterhistory.net/manchester/tours/tour4/area4page32.html and https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1282996?section=official-list-entry

The former Manchester wholesale fish market now houses upmarket apartments. This shot shows the front of the building on High Street

Inscription above entrance to former wholesale fish market reads "Opened 14 Feb 1875 Booth Mayor"