A note on regional differences in British meat prices, 1828–1865

In recent years there has been some discussion of the contribution of the railways towards narrowing regional price differentials in Russia.1 Work on the United States has noted the persistence of regional price differentials in the period 1851–1880.2 At a rather earlier period in time the existence of such differentials in Britain with regard to Glasgow and London has also been noted by T. R. Gourvish.3 In particular, Gourvish has observed for the period 1810 to 1831 that: “… Glasgow retail prices fell less than London wholesale prices.” And also that: “… the trends seen in the London price series (of Gayer, Rostow and Schwartz, of Rousseaux, and of Silberling) are markedly different to those in Glasgow…”4