Street markets

This month’s camera club assignment is ‘street market’. What does that mean? Where, in this country (outside London) do you find street markets? Proper English towns and villages have a market place. Don’t they?

Leeds has an indoor market and on outdoor market and they’re part of everyday life – just cheap shops.

I remember Sheffield market when I was in my early teens. It was an outing - crowds watching the men juggling plates and throwing them to each other: “I’m not asking for... I’m not asking for... I’m not even asking for...”

I remember Mad Ken down Mucky Alley and the sound of leather soles slapping together as he argued with himself knocking down the price and tissue wrapping boxing up and passing out shoes as fast as his patter and hands would let him as the the ten bob notes were passed the other way.

Chesterfield was more sedate more the country market town with its cobbled square in the town centre. Blue jeans for ten bob ( a month’s clothing allowance) to try on down the underground public lavs and sit in the bath to shrink into shape.

But now?

Perhaps it's just the mood I'm in.