Cries of London - Mackerel

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    The picture is called - The commonest and most popular fish to be sold by the eighteenth century hawkers was the mackerel, which was rivalled, surprisingly enough, not by the herring so common today, but by the smelt. Probably because the fish would not keep satisfactorily, mackerel-sellers were granted the privelege of selling their wares on Sundays. The cry includes the words "four for a shilling" buy this was the cheapest price. At the start of the season, mackerel were often sold for as much as one-and-sixpence each.

    Although each call was probably quite individual this is one of them;
    Mackerel, mackerel new, Buy my fresh mackerel, mackerel new, four for a shilling fine mackerel fine, New mackerel mackerel new.

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