History of St George’s Market
- from
the
Belfast
City
Council
website
St George’s Market was commissioned by the Belfast
Corporation (now Belfast City Council). It was built in three phases
between 1890 and 1896.
Pre-1890, St George’s Market was an open market with stalls similar in
style to May’s Market and certainly included a meat market and
slaughter house. Its name may have come from St George’s Church in High
Street.
Design and concept
The original open St George’s Market would have been smaller than the
1890 structure. It was designed by the then city surveyor JC Bretland -
architect of the 1896 Fish Market and the new Albert Bridge following
its collapse in the 1880s.
Built in red brick with sandstone dressings, external features of St
George’s include Roman pedimented arches with Latin and Irish mottos.
The Latin motto, 'Pro Tanto Quid Retribuamus', means for 'so much what
shall we give in return?' and the Irish motto, 'Lámh Dearg na hÉireann',
means 'Red Hand of Ireland'.
The central portico contains the Belfast Coat of Arms.
Light and spacious interiors with glazed roofs are supported by
seventy cast iron columns made by Ritchie, Hart and Co of Belfast and
Glasgow based company Brownlie S Murray.
The newly covered St George’s Market was open to the public on 20 June
1890 for the sale of butter and eggs.
The Belfast Blitz
Following heavy German bombing of Belfast on Easter Tuesday 1941, St
George’s Market was used as an emergency mortuary. Some 700 people were
killed during the raids with 255 bodies brought to the market for
identification.
Not all of the dead were identified and a public funeral of the
unclaimed dead took place on 21 April 1941. After separate Catholic and
Protestant services were held at the market, thousands lined the streets
as the cortege passed by on its way to both Milltown and the City
cemeteries.
Traders
Many of St George’s current stall holders have had close connections
with the Markets area down the years. Some have lived there and their
families have traded at St George's and other markets for at least three
generations.
Renovation and restoration
St George’s Market was originally built for the sale of butter, eggs,
poultry and fruit. But by the 1980s, it had developed into a general
market. It was the last of Belfast's thriving Victorian markets.
Increasing maintenance costs, changes to hygiene regulations and its
’once a week usage’ had prompted us to consider other uses for the
listing building.
A vigorous campaign, spearheaded by us and backed by traders and the
general public, resulted in a Heritage Lottery Fund backed £3.5 million
refurbishment programme assisted by the Environment and Heritage Agency.
During the two year restoration period, we aimed to reinstate St
George’s elegant, yet practical Victorian character.
Brick and stonework had deteriorated badly and the original drawings
were used to plan the restoration programme.
The unusually sized bricks were specially produced in England. Blaxter
stone was used to complement the original Glasgow made Giffnock
stonework. The Bangor Blue slate and glass roof has been reinstated. The
cast iron columns and and exterior gates have been sandblasted and
painted in the original holly green.
Inside, the painted white brickwork has been maintained and whilst the
flooring was probably cobbled, today's concrete version retains St
George's utilitarian design.
Exact replicas of the original Victorian shops have been designed and
installed on the Oxford Street frontage using architectual drawings.
The renovated St George’s Market opened its doors on 14 May 1999.
Events held at St George’s Market
Although St George’s Market is primarily used as a market, it is also
used for a whole range of events including food festivals, art
initiatives, exhibitions, charity launches, fashion shoots and live
music gigs.
The market has also hosted contemporary crafts and healthy living
fairs as well as a two day motorcycle exhibition.
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used with permission from the City Council website
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