Pine-Apples, a penny a slice, 1845. Creator: Unknown

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Pine-Apples, a penny a slice, 1845. Creator: Unknown

Pine-Apples, a penny a slice, 1845. Londoners buying fruit from a barrow:the mode of retailing them in the streets of the metropolis - just as cherries have been cried and sold some 200 years since...The attempt made last year to import into this country Pine-apples, from the West Indies, was attended with such success as to induce speculators to improve the culture. This was, indeed, requisite; for some of the specimens were acrid enough to set the teeth on edge...the Pine trade has already become permanently established: in one week upwards of 11, 000 pine apples have been sold by one house !, averaging from 1s. [1 shilling] to 3s. each; and the same brokers have sold 100, 000 this season. Meanwhile, they have been cried by cartloads and barrowfulls through the streets for sale!. From " Illustrated London News", 1845, Vol VII

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Media ID 20549822

© The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Ananas Sativus Barrow Cries Of London Exotic London England United Kingdom Market Market Stall Pineapple Pineapples Sell Seller Selling Shouting Illustrated London News

EDITORS COMMENTS
This print titled "Pine-Apples, a penny a slice, 1845" takes us back to the bustling streets of Victorian London. The image captures the vibrant scene of Londoners eagerly buying fruit from a barrow, reminiscent of an era when cherries were sold in a similar fashion centuries ago. The print sheds light on the fascinating history of pineapple trade during that time. It mentions how importing pineapples from the West Indies proved successful, leading to further cultivation efforts by enthusiastic speculators. Some early specimens were noted for their acrid taste, but improvements in cultivation techniques soon made pineapples more palatable. The popularity of pineapples is evident from the astonishing sales figures mentioned in the caption. In just one week alone, over 11,000 pineapples were sold by a single house at prices ranging from one shilling to three shillings each. Furthermore, it highlights that cartloads and barrowfuls of these exotic fruits could be heard being cried through the streets as they became increasingly sought after. This intriguing engraving not only offers us a glimpse into daily life in 19th century London but also showcases how global trade and advancements in agriculture impacted society's access to previously rare and exotic fruits like pineapples. It serves as a reminder of our ever-evolving relationship with food throughout history.

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