“On
the central market this morning, there was little sign of activity.”
Hamilton Spectator. December 17, 1914.
Christmas day was
still a little over a week away on Thursday December 17, 1914.
While Thursday market
days were usually quieter than Saturday market days, still, the scene on the Hamilton
market square was unusually quiet :
“As has been the case
for some weeks past, few farmers thought it worthwhile to come in for the
Thursday market, and conditions were not much better on the meat market.
“On Saturday,
however, a big pre-Christmas market is looked for with large offerings of Christmas beef and poultry and all else needed
to make a delectable Christmas table.”1
1 “Are
Awaiting For Xmas Market : Large Attendance Is Looked For on Saturday.”
Hamilton
Spectator. December 17, 1914.
On market days, all
three Hamilton daily newspapers dispatched reporters to the market square to
gather information on what was currently being offered for sale there and what
the up-to-date prices were being commanded.
For the afternoon
edition of the Hamilton Spectator, December 17, 1914, the prices were listed
under the following headings : Meats, Vegetables, Fruit, Grain Hay and Straw,
Dairy and Poultry and Hides.
The reporter shared
the following observation on the state of prices that day :
“It is expected that
poultry and meat prices will be somewhat cheaper than last year. Vegetables,
butter, eggs, etc., are said to be no dearer now than they were at this time
last year.”1
On the market day of
Saturday December 19, 1914, the Herald reporter focused attention on the lack
of poultry being sold :
“Although everyone
was looking for a big poultry market, the offerings were very limited. The
price of turkeys was steady, but geese and ducks have dropped about a cent. In
all probability the opening market of next week will see wagons loaded with
poultry, and as the price is lower this year, the buying will undoubtedly be
brisk. The demand for the feathered family was very slight this morning,
probably due to the inclement weather.” 2
2 “Poultry
Scarce : But It Will Likely Be Abundant on Tuesday”
Hamilton Herald. December 19, 1914.
The last Hamilton market day before Christmas was a mixed bag. Many, if not most of the usual features were present but the weather conditions had impacted the ability of many farmers to make it into the city :
"While it contained everything needed for the Christmas table the central market was in the nature of a disappointment this morning. Snow drifts, which made the roads impassable in the outlying districts, kept many farmers away, and the varied and extraordinary activity of other years was strangely missing."
1 "Market Today Had the Glamor of Yuletide : Christmas Beef and Turkeys in Abundance : And All the Other Trimmings For Holiday Dinner : Snowdrifts Kept Some of the Farmers Away"
Hamilton Spectator. December 24, 1914.
The Spectator who had inspected the conditions, and the prices, on the final market day before Christmas noted some prices in particular:
"Poultry which has been comparatively cheap hitherto, took a sudden upward jump this morning, and perched alongside such unheard of luxuries as new laid eggs and hot house grapes.
"It must not be supposed from this that the birds were scarce for they weren't - just dear. There were plenty of turkeys, great big fat fellows, fat and plump, and just the kind to inspire hopeful anticipation in the heart of a small boy."
While the prices had taken an upward leap, sales of poultry were still strong:
"Everybody, of course - or nearly everybody - carried home a bird of some kind, perhaps two.
"One small boy staggered along after his mother with his arms tightly clasped around a turkey big enough to eat him on the spot had it been alive. Another struggled with a market basket, which he continued to fall over at intervals, upsetting the contents each time."
Item that only appeared on Hamilton Market Square just before Christmas were Christmas trees :
"On the north side of the market were great piles of fragrant Christmas trees, which are shortly to delight young Hamilton. There were baby trees and eight-foot trees and whopping big trees intended for large parties or the department stores.
"Holly and mistletoe were also for sale adding to the Yuletide glamor."
The last Hamilton market day before Christmas was a mixed bag. Many, if not most of the usual features were present but the weather conditions had impacted the ability of many farmers to make it into the city :
"While it contained everything needed for the Christmas table the central market was in the nature of a disappointment this morning. Snow drifts, which made the roads impassable in the outlying districts, kept many farmers away, and the varied and extraordinary activity of other years was strangely missing."
1 "Market Today Had the Glamor of Yuletide : Christmas Beef and Turkeys in Abundance : And All the Other Trimmings For Holiday Dinner : Snowdrifts Kept Some of the Farmers Away"
Hamilton Spectator. December 24, 1914.
The Spectator who had inspected the conditions, and the prices, on the final market day before Christmas noted some prices in particular:
"Poultry which has been comparatively cheap hitherto, took a sudden upward jump this morning, and perched alongside such unheard of luxuries as new laid eggs and hot house grapes.
"It must not be supposed from this that the birds were scarce for they weren't - just dear. There were plenty of turkeys, great big fat fellows, fat and plump, and just the kind to inspire hopeful anticipation in the heart of a small boy."
While the prices had taken an upward leap, sales of poultry were still strong:
"Everybody, of course - or nearly everybody - carried home a bird of some kind, perhaps two.
"One small boy staggered along after his mother with his arms tightly clasped around a turkey big enough to eat him on the spot had it been alive. Another struggled with a market basket, which he continued to fall over at intervals, upsetting the contents each time."
Item that only appeared on Hamilton Market Square just before Christmas were Christmas trees :
"On the north side of the market were great piles of fragrant Christmas trees, which are shortly to delight young Hamilton. There were baby trees and eight-foot trees and whopping big trees intended for large parties or the department stores.
"Holly and mistletoe were also for sale adding to the Yuletide glamor."
Thank you for the window to the past. Sounds like the market was an adventure. Merry Christmas Brian
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