Wentworth Annual Fat Stock Sale
December 1853
This important and extensive sale of fat stock, the property of the Right Hon, Earl Fitzwilliam, comprising upwards of 450 head of cattle, sheep, and pigs, took place at the farm at Wentworth Woodhouse, near the Yorkshire seat of the noble Earl, on Thursday afternoon. Owing, no doubt, to the advanced prices which farming stock and produce generally have realised during the past year, the attendance of farmers and dealers on this occasion was very large, and the business transacted proportionately spirited. The beasts consisted chiefly of short horned cows and heifers, polled heifers, and Highland bullocks.
The sheep comprised Leicester, Southdown, and Woodland wethers, with a proportionate number of gimmers of the same breeds.
The pigs included about equal numbers of the fat and porket descriptions, and a capital sow with a litter of 11 young ones.
The company having partaken of a substantial luncheon, the business of the day commenced shortly after 12 o'clock, when the auctioneer, Mr. Tilburn, of Doncaster, proceeded to offer the first lot, consisting of a pen of 5 Leicester wethers. It was remarked that the sheep were not so fat as those sold here last year, but they were in good condition, and much more saleable in the butchers' hands than if they had been larger. The total number for sale was 300, and the bidding was so spirited that in about half an hour the whole were disposed of. A pen of 5 half bred Southdown wethers was knocked down to Mr. Ellis at 60s. per head; and another pen of the same sort at 50s. per head. The other pens ranged from 39s. to 48s. per head. The total amount realised was £636., which gives an average of nearly 42s. 6d. per head.
The company next proceeded to the fold yard, which had been properly staked off for the sale of the beasts and pigs. Following the order of the catalogue, Mr. Tilburn commenced with the short horned heifers and cows, of which there were 39 for sale. These realised the sum of £870. 10s., which gives an average of £22. 6s. 6d. each. Messrs. Mapson, of Sheffield, purchased 11 head at a total of £211. 10s., or £19. 4s. 6d. each.
The next class comprised 8 short horned steers, 3 and 4 years old, which realised £213. 15s., giving an average of £26. 14s. each. Messrs. Mapson bought a prime stall fed animal, 4 years old, in this class, for £47., and 3 others at an average price of £26.
The next class offered were the Scotch bullocks, 4 and 5 years old, of which 15 brought the sum of £399. 10s., or £26. 10s. per head. This lot included a fine bullock, purchased by Mr. Jessop, after a spirited competition, for £36. 5s.
The auctioneer next introduced the Scotch heifers, of which 37 realised £594,, or very nearly £17. per head. Two of the stall fed heifers were much admired, possessing every requisite point, and being in the finest condition. Good judges declared that a better pair had never been seen. One was knocked down to Mr. Travis, for £37. 10.; the other to Mr. Routh for £35. 5s. All the rest fetched prices varying from £16. to £25.
The whole of the beasts were in the best possible condition, and realised altogether higher prices than have ever been obtained in this part of the country before. The total amount for all the beasts sold (100 head) was £2,133. 10s. which gives an average of £21. 6. 8d. each. This amount is nearly equal to the sum realised at last year's sale on these premises for all the stock sold, the entire proceeds on that occasion being £2,200.
The last class sold was that of pigs, of which there were 57. They realised altogether £195. 10s., or £3. 8s. 5d. each. Of the total number, however, 21 were porkets; omitting these, the average price was £4. 10s. A fine fat sow sold for £14., and a sow and 11 young pigs went for £10. 2s. 6d.
The sale was not concluded until 4 o'clock. The total sum realised for sheep, beasts, and pigs was £2,965., or nearly £800. more than last year. There were no horses sold this year.
