Comments on: A Brief History Of Smithfield Market https://spitalfieldslife.com/2025/02/06/a-brief-history-of-smithfield-market/ In the midst of life I woke to find myself living in an old house beside Brick Lane in the East End of London Sat, 18 Jul 2026 15:59:26 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.4 By: Dorothy Malcolm https://spitalfieldslife.com/2025/02/06/a-brief-history-of-smithfield-market/#comment-2140282 Sat, 18 Jul 2026 15:59:26 +0000 https://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=202265#comment-2140282 Dear gentle author,

In my current novel, due to be published in August, Smithfield Market features prominently as part of the locale where the protagonist lives and busks in the 17th century.

I have learned so much about Smithfield, gentle author, from your brilliant blog that comes to me each day. As a writer, it is hard to imagine all the research, photos, and writing you do for your fans (tribe), all over the world who love SpitalfieldsLife.

I – we – thank you greatly.

— Dorothy

]]> By: Marcia Howard https://spitalfieldslife.com/2025/02/06/a-brief-history-of-smithfield-market/#comment-1689798 Thu, 06 Feb 2025 21:50:09 +0000 https://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=202265#comment-1689798 I had no idea of what a grim past Smithfield had with the burnings and hangings!
Family friends of ours had the Turkey business there throughout the 1950s and 60s, and I have a lovely photo of them in our family albums meeting the late Queen Mum. And seeing St Bartholomew’s, my family were there for the funeral of my cousin John who was the former Dean of Ripon Cathedral until his retirement through ill health. We had two ‘small’ rows of seats side on for family, but the rest of the main Aisle was packed full of Church leaders from all over the country, all in their respective robes of course, with the Archbishop taking the service. My eldest brother who didn’t think he was religious at all, said “I want a funeral like this!” We laughed at the latter of course. We had refreshments afterwards down in the crypt, and cousin John’s sister Mary turned to me as we chose our sandwiches, and said the day was getting more bizarre by the moment!

]]> By: CAOR https://spitalfieldslife.com/2025/02/06/a-brief-history-of-smithfield-market/#comment-1689652 Thu, 06 Feb 2025 10:56:42 +0000 https://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=202265#comment-1689652 Interesting parallel between the heretics dancing to their deaths and their modern day equivalents. Religion appears as the preserve of the ignorant and interestingly modern day Spitalfields’ inhabitants are not too far removed from those paying their final visit to the stakes at old London’s Smithfields.

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