BILLINGSGATE

a fish-market in London, established in 1699, and held every lawful day. Every person buying fish in Billingsgate Market may sell the same in any other market place or places within the city of London or elsewhere, by retail, with this condition, that none but fishmongers be permitted to sell in fixed shops or houses. No person or persons shall purchase at Billingsgate any quantity of fish to be divided by lots or in shares amongst any fishmongers or other persons, in order to be afterwards put to sale by retail or otherwise; nor shall any fish^ monger engro , or buy in the said market, any quantity of fish, but what shall be for his own sale or use, under the penalty of £20. No person is to have in his po e ion, or expose to sale, any spawn of fish, or fish imsizable or out of season. — (86 Geo. III. cap. cxviii.) The minimum size of the lobsters to be sold at Billingsgate is fixed by statute. By 6 Geo. IV. cap. cviL, no fish of foreign taking or curing, or in foreign ve els, is to be imported into the United Kingdom, under penalty of forfeiture, except turbots and lobsters, stock-fish, live eels, anchovies, sturgeon, botargo, and caviare. Eresh fish of British taking, and imported in British ships, and turbot, however taken or imported, may be landed without report, entry, or warrant. The importation of all kinds of fish into the United Kingdom was permitted on payment of duties in 1842, and in 1853 all duties on the importation were repealed. The fish trade since the latter date has been oompleteW free. From the character, real or supposed, of the Billingsgate fish-dealers, the term BiUirtgsgate is applied generally to coarse and violent language.