Records of the Lewes Cattle Market Company

AMS6586/1 Legislation, [1845] - c1930

AMS6586/2 Minutes of preliminary meetings concerning the removal of Lewes Cattle Market, 1877-1878

AMS6586/3 Minutes of Directors' meetings, 1878-1917

AMS6586/4 Draft minutes of Directors' and Shareholders' meetings, 1912-1978

AMS6586/5 Balance sheets, 1892-1974/75

AMS6586/6 Accounts of Lewes Cattle Market tolls (pre-incorporation), 1875-1879

AMS6586/7 Accounts of Lewes Cattle Market Company tolls, 1883-1898

AMS6586/8 Cash books for sales at cattle markets, 1899-1901

AMS6586/9 Journals, 1878-1979

AMS6586/10 Ledgers, 1892-1979

AMS6586/11 Draft ledgers, 1887-1899

AMS6586/12 Share books, 1880s

AMS6586/13 Certificates of share transfers, 1880-1968

AMS6586/14 Cancelled share certificates, 1899-1921

AMS6586/15 Other papers concerning shares issued, 1978

AMS6586/16 Leases and tenancy agreements granted by the Lewes Cattle Market Company, 1883-1977

AMS6586/17 Secretary's general correspondence, 1892-1910

AMS6586/18 Other Secretary's correspondence, [1859]-1928

AMS6586/19 Posters, 1897-1929

AMS6586/20 Other records, 1891-c2000

<p>For notes concerning the history of the cattle market, see AMS6586/20/1 and 20/5 below; for deeds of 13 St Johns Terrace and a history of the site of the old cattle market, [1819] - 1986, see AMS6376; for papers concerning the lease of the market, 1938 (as in AMS6586/16/4 below), see ACC 2327/23; for records of J R Thornton, estate agents and auctioneers, see AMS6470, ACC 4778, ACC 5827 and ACC 8148; for records of Hailsham Cattle Market, see ACC 6345 and 6982; for deeds of 6 St John's Hill (formerly 31 St John's Terrace), Lewes, [Dec 1878] - May 1967, see ACC 8577/5</p>

Records are open for consultation

Donated 16 May 2001 (ACC 8346)

The earliest minutes of the company date from November 1877, when a meeting was held of local people who wanted to move the Lewes cattle market from the High Street to a more suitable site. The market caused an obstruction, and was unhygienic and dangerous to the general public. Various possible sites were considered. In the following year it was decided to accept the offer of a group of six gentlemen, who had purchased St John's Farm, then occupied by Mr Cuckney, with the intention of selling three acres that lay opposite St John sub Castro Church for use as a cattle market. A market company would be formed, which would purchase the land. The group was also prepared to donate a strip of the farmland that adjoined the Pells to the town for the purposes of recreation

The Lewes Cattle Market Company was established on 2 April 1878 with capital of £4,000, divided into 400 shares of £10 each. It was incorporated by the Lewes Cattle Market Act of 1879. The company was given the right to hold markets, and it was unlawful for anyone else to sell or let stock within a two-mile radius of County Hall Lewes, with the exception of the two September sheep-fairs held annually at Lewes. The company could charge tolls on stock using the market

Approaches were made to the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway for a siding on the market site, but these were rejected, even though the Lewes to London line bordered the market on its western side. The new market opened on 6 May 1879 and was held on alternate Tuesdays

Part of the site not required for the market was sold to the builder C Scrase of 43 Round Hill Crescent, Brighton. There were soon doubts as to the convenience of the market, and complaints about insanitary conditions there; it was felt that it would be more successful if it were close to Lewes railway station. Ebenezer Wells of Brighton, an auctioneer, purchased the old market site for building purposes for £2,100, and the Old Tan Yard adjoining the railway station was purchased from him for £4,000. The tan yard site had been conveyed by George Molineux to William Baxter in November 1859, and sold by Elizabeth Baxter to Wells in December 1882, who conveyed it to the Lewes Cattle Market Company in November 1883. An agreement was made with Wells in May 1883; he agreed to hire the market premises, and would have the right to hold markets for twenty-one years. Wells was appointed general manager and superintendent of the new market, which opened on 26 June 1883

The property included warehouses, a slaughterhouse, stables, and a refreshment room that was rented out. The offices were at 19 Station Street, although they were later at 89 High Street, and West Street, Lewes

Ebenezer Wells was made bankrupt on 1886. Entering into a lasting agreement with another auctioneer over the holding of market sales proved difficult, the market seems to have undergone a period of instability, and there are references to restrictions on trading due to Foot and Mouth Disease. In 1891 a Vendors' Syndicate agreed to buy up existing shares in order to raise capital for improvements and resell to the company for £5,000. £1,000 of this sum would be raised by Debenture Stock, and four hundred shares of £10 would be re-issued, of which two hundred were offered to the public (AMS6586/20/1). It was planned that weekly auction sales of fat and store stock and miscellaneous property would be held, in addition to the fortnightly market

In 1897 a three-year lease was granted to James Richard Thornton of Burgess Hill, allowing him to hold auction sales, apart from alternate Tuesdays when the usual market was held. Thornton soon complained about the poor facilities and requested the company to construct a covered sales arena. They were unwilling to do this, but a solution was found the following year when it was resolved to advise shareholders to sell shares to Thornton at £5 each; he then became a major shareholder and director of the company. The arena was built in 1899, and financed by raising £500 by debentures. Stock markets were held every Monday from the early 1900s

J R Thornton died in 1916, and a lease of the market was granted to his firm, J R Thornton & Co, represented by Henry John Redman, in 1917. The market continued to be run by J R Thornton & Co, whose offices were at 66 High Street, Lewes, until the 1970s, when it taken over by the firm's successors, Burtenshaw Walker. Watsons of Heathfield, the auctioneers, later purchased that section of Burtenshaw Walker's business, and sold the market in 1982 to a group that included Mr and Mrs R A Russell, Joan Russell and Douglas Gribble. They ran the market until 1992, when it closed due to falling volumes of livestock