In the era before refrigeration, every butcher did his own slaughtering, usually quite near his retail premises. The large abbattoirs of today are a 20th century phenomenon. From reading various Directories of the era you are researching, it seems that, often, the Inspector of Slaughterhouses had various additional functions, and today would be called a Health Inspector. Peter THOMAS Darwin, AUSTRALIA <pmthomas@bigpond.com> -----Original Message----- From: Julie [mailto:tropikkal@mytown.net.au] Sent: Sunday, 9 October 2005 2:07 PM To: AUS-VIC-GOLDFIELDS-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Slaughterhouse Inspector On the BC for his daughter Mary Ann BURKE in 1855 at Government Camp, Sandhurst, Christopher BURKE's occupation was given as "Inspector of Slaughter houses". Was there a slaughter house at Sandhurst? Sheep or cattle or both? I'm also looking for sheep or maybe cattle stations anywhere from Sandhurst to Marong in the period 1852 to 1861. -- Best regards, Julie from Cairns Researching HAYBURN and McGINNIS in Tasmania 1820's to 1835, in Sth Australia 1835 to 1852 and Sandhurst to Marong areas 1852 to 1880 and WILLIAMS in Sandhurst to Marong areas 1873 - 1879 mailto:tropikkal@mytown.net.au ______________________________