Today, butchery is a very finely honed art, and mastering it requires years of training (and of course, the finest butchers equipment). It’s a skill that’s gone through thousands of years of development and evolution to get to where it is today, and nobody understands that better than us here at Butchers Equipment Warehouse.

As the UK’s market leading suppliers of butchers knives and butchers accessories, we’re proud of the long history of the butchery industry, so here’s our quick rundown of some of the highlights.

When did butchery begin?

The earliest example of a butchery site in the UK was found near Kent, which dated back over 400,000 years. The site consisted of the remains of a prehistoric elephant (about twice the size of today’s African variety) which was found with a selection of flint tools, some of which were lodged in its ribcage. The archaeological community has generally accepted this as a very early example of human beings engaging in butchery.

As time went on, human beings found ways of keeping animals in herds, which saved time and energy that would otherwise be spent on hunting. This is largely considered as a very early example of farming. The earliest evidence of sheep, goats, and pigs being kept as livestock dates back around 10-11,000 years ago.

Butchery in the UK

Butchery is one of oldest forms of trade that human beings still enjoy today. It was one of the first occupations to form a professional guild in Britain (in 1272) , during a time when meat was a commodity generally reserved for the nobility and wealthy due to its cost. For peasants, it was often illegal to hunt on land belonging to members of the aristocracy, and the punishment for those caught doing so was often severe.

During the Victorian era, meat became much more popular across all levels of society, due to its relatively low cost when compared to years past. Many of the cuts and roasting joints that we use today first appeared during this era, and due to the lack of cold storage solutions available to people of this time, a trip to the butcher’s shop was a regular occurrence for many Victorians.

The First and Second World War changed a lot about how butchers could operate. This was mainly as a result of rationing, which dramatically affected the supply of meat based products. This period saw a significant increase in the output of pies and sausages, as these could be made with far less meat. However, post-war industrialisation led to the closure of many butcher shops, as meat became cheaper and readily available on supermarket shelves.

Nowadays, there’s a growing movement of people who want to move away from mass produced meat products, in favour of higher quality products from local sources. The ever increasing shift towards more sustainable food systems, and increased emphasis on reducing food miles has resulted in a new enthusiasm for local butchers.

So, butchery is back in fashion, and you want to ensure that you’re able to offer your customers the very best cuts and products possible. We can help with that.

For over 30 years, we’ve supplied tried and tested, five-star brands (like F.Dick and Swibo) to our customers. With our extensive range of butchers machinery, accessories, and knives, we know our butchers equipment inside out. Give us a call on 01254 427721 and we’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have!