Tuesday 3 April 2018

Bazaars, Markets and Fairs




A BAZAAR is a marketplace. Some places had permanent Bazaars, the precursor to the mall, and in some countries called a mall. 




Some were outdoors with different shops or stalls, and some indoors with booths. It was prestigious to finally get a place near the door or entrance. 



15 Sept 1642, France
Nicholas Albert, drapery merchant, sold to Francois Maupetit a stall located at the halls in the drapery row and which contained a trove (bay), for the sum of 40 livres which he paid in cash.

At times a short-lived Bazaar would occur during the year, perhaps when a special shipment of items newly arrived from overseas, or for a fundraiser for a charity. 

Some markets were just for livestock and breeders would come from all around to sell their cattle, pigs, sheep and horses. My Bruce ancestors went to many town markets in Devonshire to sell their cattle.


(A stot is a castrated male calf and a quey is a female calf)



A FAIR was a local gathering to sell homemade goods or their farm products, present their best livestock and participate in contests.  They typically occur at different times throughout the year so a person could travel to fairs in a different town. 




I went to many Fairs in the small down where I grew up and it was always an exciting event to look forward to.  It was mostly homemade crafts and baked goods for display and sale, with games and costume parades for the kids. As I got older I helped out my grandmother at her church bazaars in the city. 

My kids grew up in a more rural area and the yearly fair they looked forward to had farm equipment exhibits, livestock exhibitions, horseback riding events, tractor pull, etc as well as the craft and baked goods displays. 

A local library or archives may have info on local fairs and bazaars. Also check in newspapers for winners of different catagories.  



Relevant links

Souvenir and handbook of Feill a' Chomuinn Ghaidhealaich (The Highland Association Bazaar) 1907

Report of the Christmas Bazaar: Ladies' Hospital Relief Assn, Rochester N.Y 1863

Davis Brothers Golden Rule Bazaar (San Francisco)

Grand Bazaar: School of Industrial Art, Philadelphia 1896

Old Moore's almanack: Fairs and Markets in England 1862











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