From Picture of Liverpool: Strangers Guide Written in 1834
This extensive structure, the largest of it's kind in the kingdom is 183 yards long and 45 yards broad and was erected by the corporation at an expense of £35,296. The first stone was laid on the 20th of August 1820, and the opening took place on the 7th March 1822. It is situate in Great Charlotte street and is built of brick, except the entrances, cornice and foundation which are composed of free stone . It is lighted by 136 windows. There are eight handsome stone entrances, three on each side and one at each end
The whole of the interior is well arranged having a lofty roof supported by 116 cast iron pillars, each 25 feet high, and placed in four rows and forming altogether five spacious avenues. When the season requires it the whole is illuminated during the night by 144 gas burners, which produces and uncommonly brilliant and pleasing effect. Adjoining the walls there are fifty eight shops and four offices each six yards long and four yards wide and furnished with a fire place. The fronts of the shop are open and fitted with shutters so that the articles on sale may be exhibited to advantage and the whole enclosed with safety at night. The shops are let for different kinds of provisions and the offices are allocated to the overlooker of the market, the weighers of provisions &c and to the collectors of the rents and tolls. There are 160 stalls, three yards each, allotted to the sale of various articles with 201 table compartments, each one yard used for the sale of vegetables, eggs, poultry &c, : 36 fish standings, 1 and a half yard each, 122 benches for vegetables &c, 14 fruit standings, three yards each, 28 green standings three yards each, and 44 stone compartments allotted to the sale of potatoes &c,. On the west side beneath the shops there are 29 cellars, used for stores. The whole of the floor is flagged and there are five cast iron pumps, one of whicch supplies warm and the others cold water. Every night previously to the market being locked up the floor is washed and swept by a number of men who are employed for this purpose, and two watchmen remain inside to guard the premises
The rents charged for the various premiseswhich are taken by the quarter, are for shops £18 per annum, and £2 12s for gas light: butchers stalls £8, and the corner ones £10, outer fish standings £8, and the inner ones £4, vegetable and fruit stalls £6, potato compartments £3, the corner ones £3.4s, cellars £5, table compartments £1 12s, bench ditto 12s.
The following are a few of the bylaws that have been made for the regulation of the market by the corporation:- any person bringing a dog into the market is liable to a fine of ten shillings - butter not to be sold by any other weight than 16 ounces to the pound :- Nay purchaser may have artciles weighed at the offices of the authorised weighers, on payment of a halfpenny for things under a hundredweight, and a penny oper hundredweight
Thos carriers who are registered wear badges on their arm, and for carrying any burthen 100 yards distance they are entitled to charge 2d, for 800 yards 3d, for 1200 yards 4d, and for any greater distance withi the borough 6d: and if detained more than half an hour prior to being despatched they can demand an additional charge of 2d, and if called but not employed they can also charge 2d