A Day in the life of John Tomkys a preacher (afternoon)

Portrait of John Tomkys (image) [+]
Public preacher (Image courtesy of J.Bryan)

Standing here in Butcher Row I remember that I need to buy meat when the stalls are open tomorrow. I am feeling unwell and have been given permission to eat meat during Lent to build up my strength. I find the noise and smell of this street most disgusting. The cries of the animals as they have their throats slit and the blood running down the gutters are like a scene from Hell. Those sinners who want my work in this town to stop will suffer such scenes in Hell for ever and ever when they die.

Butcher Row, Shrewsbury (image) [+]
Butcher Row would have been a very unpleasant street in Tudor times. (Image courtesy of Shrewsbury Museums Service and www.darwincountry.org)

How true is "Days in the Life..."?

These dramatised accounts have been created by the Discovering Shropshire's History team. We used information taken from biographies of these individuals as researched by Bill Champion, author of "Everyday Life in Tudor Shrewsbury". These biographies, with the sources he used, can be seen in full by clicking on the "in depth" buttons on each page.