Porter's Badge from Smithfield Meat Market

Porter's badge. Circular arm badge, made of green plastic inset with white City of London crest and white lettering 'Central Markets / 797', with blue cotton strap attached for securing around arm. Worn by a porter at Smithfield Market.

The London Central Meat Market moved to its present site in Smithfield in 1868. At one point it was the largest meat market in the world and is now the only wholesale market left in Central London. Due to wartime controls, all meat in the capital was carried by members of the Transport and General Workers Union; this right was not relinquished at Smithfield Market for another 50 years, despite successful court challenges. Tenants were not allowed to move meat to or from the market and needed to employ self-employed porters, who were paid according to how much they carried. ‘Pullers back’ took meat off the lorries, ‘pitchers’ carried it on to the market, and retailers needed to pay a 'bummaree' to remove purchases. All porters were licenced by the City of London Corporation, and issued with an identifying arm badge which they wore with their traditional blue overalls and white caps. The badges were colour-coded by date; this green badge would have been worn by a porter between 30 June 1977-1978.

In the mid-1990s, the Corporation modernised Smithfield Market, introducing automated steel rails to move carcasses from climate-controlled storage to vehicles outside. Porters were paid a settlement to end their monopoly on meat movement.