Map 02
This map shows the different forms of histories that are remembered in and around Smithfield Market. Following from the development of the site in terms of street patterns in Map 01, it highlights which histories ‘matter’ to different users. It reveals how key features in the historic environment, hidden histories, such as the location of the river fleet, and ephemeral sensory traces such as the vanished sounds of cowbells or the smells of bacon enmesh to create a ‘sense of history’. This sense of history tends to be encapsulated in feelings of nostalgia for particular aspects of history that relate to the more working class practices such as the carnivalesque feel of the cattle market or the mid-twentieth century activities of market bummeries and the meat trade. Purple spots show key historic buildings past and present. Selected quotes from people working or residing in the area reveal the personal meanings given to sites today by different users. Turquoise and blue spots indicate ‘memorial spaces’: they show histories that are explicitly put on display, commemorated and explained through plaques, memorials and exhibitions by public institutions and private individuals from designers to café owners. To further explore how present historical experiences and a ‘sense of history’ shape everyday experiences of the area follow one of the personas in Map 04.
