READER'S LETTER: Retired farmer recalls Kettering's former cattle market.

This photo was taken in the early spring. The time is 2.45pm as most selling finished by 2pm.

The picture shows the market manager’s house – joining is a meeting room with a bar, only open market days. The men’s toilet, by the gate on the right-hand side, then four cattle pens for private sales.

The centre shows the cattle selling ring – all the sales are over, all the cattle gone and the cattle lorry is just going out. Above the cattle sale ring are the sheep pens. The auctioneer would walk on a plank over the pens and sell each pen of sheep, about 10 at a time.

Above the sheep pens, the white curved building was the 1950s’ Cornmarket Hall, the old one was not used. The long shed at the right road side was the pens of calves and pigs sold in the shed. The long black shed in the centre was full of cages of livestock, pet rabbits, hens and poultry of all sorts.

There was a line of farming goods merchants in little sheds: Bletsoe’s shed had a stuffed two-headed calf on the wall. Next came Snowdens, selling ropes, stack sheets etc; Scott of Thrapston selling ladders, cattle feed racks etc; Kettering Iron Mongers selling tools. Last in the row came GW Lewis of Kettering with big farm machines for sale such as carts and trailers.

Now it has all gone into history. The number of farmers has gone. In 1950 there were 22 farmers in Rushton Parish, now there are only two and all the traders have gone.

In 1950 there were four agents selling tractors and farm machines. Now all gone.