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Norwich Market, UK, has been on its present location for 900 years. But the market tradition in Norwich goes back even further than that. The market remains Britain’s largest Monday to Saturday open air installation.
The Sheep Heid Inn, Duddingston. “…said to have been established in 1360 – which would make it the oldest pub in Scotland— Mary Queen of Scots was apparently a regular patron, as was her son James VI, who gave the landlord a ram’s head snuff box – hence the name and the sheep heids on the walls.”
Via Guardian
Food Heritage Site: Pittstown, NJ Peach Exchange
In 2000, Julian posted the following report and memory.
“I discovered an interesting place in Franklin Township while on a Scout hike. We were hiking along the Capoolong Creek from Pittstown to Kingtown Road on the old train right of way. As we started our hike we passed an old building that used to be the Pittstown Peach Exchange. I asked my Dad about it and he told me it used to be a train station where the local peach farmers would bring their crops to be shipped to outside markets or cities.
I looked it up in the Facts and Fantasies of Franklin written by a man named J. E. Stout. In the book it told the story of the local peach industry. An 1879 quote from the Hunterdon County Democrat said Franklin Township is the peach yielding township of the county and there are a large number of fine and large orchards in it that promise a big yield. This industry grew so much it needed a train to carry the crops to the cities. The Pittstown Railroad Company opened a rail line on July 4, 1891 after a lot of hard work and negotiation! The train went from Pittstown to Landsdowne and then to Flemington, the county seat. From Flemington, you could connect to New York City and then anywhere! I imagine the train station was great way for the farmers, local merchants and people to gather, start a trip or pass along news as well as ship their crops. As time went on the local dairy farmers profited from the train as well.
At the turn of the century a disease destroyed the peach trees. The train was less necessary as trucks and cars became more popular. With the loss of commuter traffic it became mostly a freight line until it was too expensive to maintain. They closed down the line in 1968. My mom still remembers the train going by her house and putting pennies on the tracks to be squished! Later the tracks became a popular hiking trail.
I think the Pittstown Peach Exchange was a very historical place because it was the center of Franklin’s shipping, commerce and travel for almost 80 years! The building is in poor shape now. Members of the town council have talked about fixing it up but it hasn’t happened yet! I think it is important for our township to save this historical place.”
Delaware Peach Girls
”A key factor in this migrant work force (of the Delaware peach industry) was the “Peach Girls.” Usually in the 16 to 20 year old age group, they were recruited from large cities thru advertisements in the newspapers. John Harris’ Round Top Farm had over 600 peach girls working on it in 1875.
Since they were poor with few job opportunities they were easy prey for the advertisements that promised they could earn $1.50 to $2.00 per day and only pay $2.00 a week for board. On arriving at Round Tree they found the situation to be different than advertised. Instead of $1.50 per day they worked 15 hours for fifteen to twenty cents a day. Their board consisted of a bale of hay to sleep on and for food it was left over fruit. They simply did not have the money to return home nor was there much chance of earning the money to return.
Round Tree was but one example; many “peach girls” were treated better on other farms and actually paid an acceptable wage of around one dollar per day.” Read on about the Delaware peach business here.
Where? When? Anyone?
(Source: kitschyliving)
1940 Ford Coca Cola Delivery
(via jeanfivintage)
One of the old stoves in the kitchen at Strokestown Park, Roscommon, Ireland, home of the Irish National Famine Museum. The house was built in the mid 1700’s by Thomas Mahon, and opened to the public in 1987. The museum collection, based initially on documents found in the house, apparently aims in part to balance the story of Irish tenant farmers with the lives of their landlords.