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The Fishmonger
Above: Detailed description of photo
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If you come into the market on New York Street, the first stall you’ll see is Ramsden’s. Trays of fresh fish of all species are laid out for eager customers. The stall is never quiet, there’s always someone wanting seafood. This is Fish Row and Ramsden’s in just one of several thriving fishmongers. The huge blue and white sign proclaims that Ramsden’s has been in business since 1962. Next to that sign is another one: “Arthur Welham Ltd, established for over 100 years”. The two stalls are actually one business, now run by the Ramsden brothers with their Mum. But who was Arthur Welham? And what was his relationship to the Ramsdens? We are unable to capture the voices of the original fishmonger so we must rely on the testimony of his descendants. David and Carole Ramsden were kind enough to recount their (fishy) tale, starting with the man who began the business: Arthur Welham.
Arthur Welham I
Arthur’s story goes back to the late 19th century. He was born, the son of a slaughterer/butcher in the slums near Mabgate, about 1875. As Carole Ramsden tells us, “He started off with nothing”. He was first recorded as a fishmonger when he was only 15 - slightly before the founding of Fish Row, with was in 1894. Around that year, aged about 20, he moved to a market stall in the row; in fact he acquired three stalls eventually, and as it turned out founded a dynasty of market fish traders which continues in the fourth generation.
Arthur Welham II
Arthur Welham's son was also Arthur, known as Arthur Welham Jnr. Seemingly he was not as competent as his father. Carole tells us that Arthur Snr “had to come back to work when he was 60.” She elaborates: “Because his son, which was another Arthur Welham, he’d run it down that much.” In fact Arthur Welham’s true heir on the fish stalls seems to have been his grandson, Freddie, Arthur junior’s son. “He started running it right,” says Carole.
Above: Detailed description of photo
Between the Arthurs
Meanwhile, Arthur Snr’s other child, Elsie, married a butcher from Oakwood named William Ramsden. He soon went to work on the fish stall. “So they married,” says Carole. “So, of course, he had to go to work in the business, didn’t he? Because he’d married into the family he didn’t have much choice!” Perhaps this enforced shift of employment was a measure of his new father-in-law’s powerful character? William Ramsden died of a stroke aged 61, and at that point his widow Elsie, then in her 50s, went to work in the market herself. Elsie also seems to have been a strong character. “57-year-old when she started work,” Carole says. “And she were there every day. Well, apart from Sunday, obviously.” It involved catching a bus at six every morning and finishing work at six in the evening. Elsie’s nephew Freddie was supposedly in charge – but his older aunt was clearly more of a business mind. Elsie worked on the stalls until the age of 75.
Between the Arthurs
Meanwhile, Arthur Snr’s other child, Elsie, married a butcher from Oakwood named William Ramsden. He soon went to work on the fish stall. “So they married,” says Carole. “So, of course, he had to go to work in the business, didn’t he? Because he’d married into the family he didn’t have much choice!” Perhaps this enforced shift of employment was a measure of his new father-in-law’s powerful character? William Ramsden died of a stroke aged 61, and at that point his widow Elsie, then in her 50s, went to work in the market herself. Elsie also seems to have been a strong character. “57-year-old when she started work,” Carole says. “And she were there every day. Well, apart from Sunday, obviously.” It involved catching a bus at six every morning and finishing work at six in the evening. Elsie’s nephew Freddie was supposedly in charge – but his older aunt was clearly more of a business mind. Elsie worked on the stalls until the age of 75.
Arthur Ramsden’s life in the market was severely impacted by an event now infamous in the history of Leeds market - a serious fire in 1975. At that stage he had not finished paying off the loan on his stall - and then the stall, along with much else, burned down. The devastating experience of the fire has clearly left a mark on Carole. Their son David, although not born for another nine years afterwards, has also absorbed much of the family memory of this traumatic event. Carole’s description of what happened to Arthur is graphic: “He phoned me up to say the Market's on fire. I went, you what? And I looked out of my window- because we lived over in Redhalls at that side at the time. And you could see the flames. We thought John [Arthur’s eldest son] had got lost in it because he'd gone back in for something. But when it set on fire, all the pipes were painted. There were no water sprinklers in them days, you know. And the fire just literally ran all over the pipes and where the paint was. That were devastating. That were the downfall of us all, I think.”
David continues the story: “Well, John, he was in there when the fire started. He got some of the other traders together with hose pipes and started fighting the fire. And then it still seemed to be spreading. My dad went in and said, look, you all need to get out now. It's up the wall, it's above your head, it's on the ceiling. We need to just get out. So my dad took them all out. Because they'd have probably just kept at it with hose pipes until the fire brigade got there and then left. So he said, come on, let's all get out of here.” Carole goes on: “And by the time the fire brigade got there and started tackling it, it was just spreading everywhere.” David says: “There was a lot of talk that someone had decided to set their shop on fire for insurance and thought it would all just get dealt with pretty quickly.” Carole: “Nothing was proven.”
Two days after the fire some at least of the market was back up and running, but the replacement provisions were anything but satisfactory. Carole tells us: “But then when the fire burnt the market down, they put us on George Street, trestles with plastic coating on. There was no water, no nothing.” The winter of 1975-6 was freezing, while the following summer was roasting. The Ramsdens and other stalls were outside for 12 months. And as Arthur had just acquired a warehouse on York Street, his insurance would not pay out because he had alternative premises! After this phase the new fish stall was placed right in the centre of the market, near the huge ‘temporary' building which still stands today. David recalls it: “You were trapped in permanent darkness in there because there's no light, you're in the middle of the market, there's no windows. So in winter you'd arrive at night, you'd leave at night unless you went outside.” They were there for 25 years before being relocated to their present site.
Above: Detailed description of photo
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Carole and her sons
Carole had a hairdressing business before having children but she eventually found herself being drawn into fishmongery. One day, a member of staff didn’t turn up for work, so her husband persuaded her to help out. “He went, can you just jump on a minute? Well, that were it, weren't it? Just jump on, and then it just built up and built up.” She still works on the shellfish bar part-time. David Ramsden, Arthur Ramsden’s youngest son, now has a major role with the business. Arthur’s eldest son John worked on the stalls for a time - indeed he was present when the fire broke out - before striking out in other directions; he now has a haulage business. Second son Jamie went straight into the business and is currently responsible for buying.
The Ramsdens have been through a lot, but despite it all, they have kept going. The fish business is a profitable one and they continue to thrive in an uncertain time. Here’s to the next 100 years!