Your Local Care Company with Family Roots in Lambeth

As a young child, I remember vividly visiting local butchers with my Mum, the distinctive smell, the bright lights, noisy chopping, and always sawdust on the floor. The sawdust (less needed by then) was an old butcher’s tradition, essential in days gone by, with no refrigeration to soak up the blood. Live animals were brought in, slaughtered and butchered on-site, and stored in the cellar, salted or smoked for preservation.

Fred, my grandfather’s birth certificate shows he was born in 1893 near Railton Road, Brixton where his dad, Harry, worked as a jobbing butcher.

Brixton in the late 19th century was a bustling community, with Railton Road forming a lively hub of shops and small businesses. The street was part of a vibrant market scene, where butchers like Harry catered to local residents and tradespeople alike. Fred must have visited his Dad at work on occasion. He would have seen the drainage gutter in front of the shop, stained red from the day’s work. Dozens of carcasses, inside and outside the shop, for sale would be seen hanging on hooks, plucked fowls, half sides of pigs, and cows.

The 19th-century butcher’s shop was a hive of activity. Harry would be seen working with bare muscular arms, wielding his cleaver with precision as he prepared cuts of meat. The rhythmic thud of the cleaver and the metallic scent of fresh meat filled the space, creating an atmosphere both industrious and inviting.

At Christmas time, shoppers would be tempted by elaborate arrangements of meat, sometimes so impressive they were mentioned in the local papers. These displays were a source of great pride, showcasing not only the quality of the meat but also its local origins.

Fred went on to a long and happy life, living locally in Lambeth and Wandsworth. He survived the trenches in WW1 as a young man, serving in the Royal Ordnance Corps. In June 1944, his house in Honeywell Road, Battersea was destroyed along with eight other houses, hit by a V1 flying bomb. He and his wife survived with minor wounds by hiding in the cupboard under the stairs, the only part of the house left standing.

The area around Battersea and Wandsworth was heavily affected during the Blitz and subsequent flying bomb attacks, a testament to the resilience of the community. With luck on his side, Fred lived to a ripe old age and was buried in Putney Vale Cemetery.  By Michael Scott Co-Owner Right at Home Mitcham Streatham and Dulwich