For three centuries, from the growth of London and the other great cities at the end of the 16th Century until about a hundred years ago (c.1870), the beef to feed the British town-dweller was brought to him on the hoof. This was a vast operation and, at its peak, more than 2,000 were being driven through the streets of London to market every day. This book tells of the life of the drovers who brought the cattle and sheep hundreds of miles, often along ancient grassy drove roads, how they lived, what sort of men they were, how they made their money, the kinds of cattle - also sheep, geese, turkey, pigs and donkeys - that they drove.

• Keywords
  DROVING, SHEEP, CATTLE, MEAT TRADE, MARKETS
• Geographical keyword
  CALEDONIAN PARK [Open Space], SMITHFIELD [Area]
• Persons keyword
  Metropolitan Cattle Market, Caledonian Market, Smithfield Market