MEMORIES of boyhood days around the livestock markets were recalled by Ted Milward when he came across an old picture of Evesham Ram Sale.

Mr Milward, aged 84, of St Andrews Road, Pershore, said: "I should think it was circa 1930, judging by the appearance of the lads, of which I was one. Quite a few of we young people would get there during school holidays with the farmers and buyers, including in my case my uncle John Milward, butcher of Pershore.

Mr Milward is fairly certain he can recognise a few on the picture, including behind the ram, second from left, Neville Brown, son of Fred Brown, butcher of Pershore, now of Besford and RNA member, Mr Milward himself and his late brother Cyril, ex Burma Star veteran. On the extreme left, wearing waistcoat, tie and cap is a well-known local character, the market drover, whose name he can't remember.

Behind the ram, second from right, the short man with a cap and tie, is another well-known Pershore character, Yocker Cowley.

"He and his mate, Harry Newman, were local drovers who walked the livestock back to Pershore from the markets before the introduction of cattle trucks. Occasionally," said Mr Milward, "some of we youngsters had to help them. I clearly recall one occasion when the cattle took off across Cropthorne Heath and we had to round them up across the fields."

Others Mr Milward thinks he recognises - "it's been a long time" - include John Hundy, then of Fladbury, near left at rear, Archie Brown, butcher with Tommy Elkerton, Pershore, rear centre, George Beard, then of Pershore, a butcher with John Milward, later an abattoir manager in the Cotswolds, rear fourth right with trilby.

The Evesham livestock market was in the High Street almost opposite the entrance to the railway stations, or stations before the old LMS Railway closed.

Since the closure of the Evesham livestock market and the sale of the site, homes have taken the place of cattle, sheep and pig pens which were once so busy on Mondays and special sale days run by E.G. Righton and Son, auctioneers of Evesham.

In those days, most towns had their own livestock markets and often local butchers would buy at their home market and walk the cattle back to their premises where they would slaughter and prepare their own meat for sale in their shops.

The highlight of the year was generally the Christmas Fatstock Show, a fiercely competitive event not only for the farmers who had spent hours preparing their best stock for the day, but for the butchers who bid well above the going rate for the privilege of displaying the champion cards and rosettes among their seasonal displays.

Now, only a handful of Christmas Primestock Shows are held, and the small abattoirs have mostly disappeared, forced out of business by rules and regulations, resulting in stock having to be transported many stressful miles.