Horse meat on menu

A report suggested people in Stirlingshire in the mid-1950s had a taste for horse meat.

The annual report for 1956, by the Stirling County medical officer, said in that year at a Denny slaughterhouse 2303 horses were killed for human consumption.

Stirlingshire Public Health committee member Mr Frank Crawford, at a meeting at Viewforth in May 1959, said: “It is revolting to think of any person eating horse meat.”

However, county medical officer of health Dr Neil Reid described equine flesh as a `very healthy meat’ which was widely distributed.

He knew of no shop in Stirlingshire selling it, but added: `I have consciously eaten the meat and it is good.’