Wargrave Local History Society

THE Februarymeeting ofWargrave Local History Societywas held on-line using Zoom. Kevin

Little, formerly the proprietor of Frost’s – the fishmonger in Reading’s Union Street – gave a very entertaining and informative presentation on Smelly Alley and other items of interest about Reading.

Many people, Kevin said, thought that Union Streetwas also called SmellyAlley because of the fish and meat shops there, but an old map showed that the name pre-dated any of those.

He had been shown a 16th centurymap that marked an open sewerwhere Union Street is now, with a narrowpathway alongside, labelled Smelly Alley.

It was the onlyway from Broad Street to Friar Street between Market Place andWest Street at that time – the name Union Street only came into use in the 18th century.

Kevin regaled his audiencewith many stories of traders and their ‘tricks of the trade’.

When fishmongers started trading in Union Street, therewas no refrigeration, the fishwas displayed on marble slabs at the front of the shop, and therewould be sawdust on the floor. The fishwould be transported inwooden boxes, with some ice thrown in around them, by train, and therewas a special fish dock at the station, fromwhere the boxes had to be collected – hopefullywithout too much delay.

Therewere numerous stories of encounters with the officialdom – such as a health inspector who objected to aspirins in the first aid box, or another inspectorwho did not approve of the sale of goose eggs – something sold formay years.

The rules seemed ridiculous, with different distances from the farm allowed depending on if a marketwas covered, or sold at a fete, etc, or the police, who thought that the pike on salewere a dangerouswild animal.

Kevin had many, many other tales to tell – including sharp practices by some retailers, the water companywho declared the sewer (the enclosed one fromwhich SmellyAlley got its name) was not their responsibility as it belonged to the shop owners – even though for decades thewater company had charged for its use, or detecting the early stages of a furniture stop in Friar Street, to running a disco (playing music he did not like or understand) at the Tudor Tavern close by.

With a light, gentle and entertaining style, the audiencewere left with smiles on their faces after so many ‘fishy tales’.

The Society’s planned programme is at www.wargravehistory.org.uk, where the latest information can be found, or email info@wargravehistory.org.uk to confirm meeting details.

Peter Delaney