The horse repository

An illustration of a horse repository from the book 'Journeys through London, or, byways of modern Babylon' by James Greenwood, undated, c.1873. Greenwood describes the various options available to a person wishing to buy a horse as Tattersall's, Smithfield market, seedy auctions such as those run by a Mr. Spavinger, or by visiting the St. Martin's Lane Repository. This latter option was Aldridge's Horse Repository, in Upper St. Martin's Lane, described in 'Soho and its Associations' by E.F. Rimbault (1895) p. 177 as having been established in 1753. "From its commencement, Aldridge's has been a well-known mart for nearly all kinds of horses, except racers. It is, however, specially famous for the sale of middle-class and tradesmen's horses. As soon as the West End season is over, the London job-master sells off his superfluous stock, and this market is the recognised medium for getting rid of the horses for which he has no further, or, at any rate, no immediate use. Many horses sold at this period are purchased by seaside men, whose harvest is about to commence'.