Surrey Mirror – Friday 26 March 1915

SWINE FEVER.

RESTRICTION ON MOVEMENT TO OR FROM CERTAIN PREMISES MITCHAM.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that by an Order dated 17th March. 1915 (No. 9585) made by the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries and which came into operation on the 24th March, 1915, the Board have imposed restrictions on the movement of Swine from or to the undermentioned premises in the Parish of Mitcham:— 1. The premises known as Westfield Farm Western-road, Mitcham. in the occupation of John Cornwall. 2. The premises known as Seale’s Piggeries, situate off Lewes-road, Mitcham. 3. The premises known as Reader’s Piggeries, situate off Lewes-road. Mitcham. 4. The premises known as the Batsworth-road Allotment Garden and the Church-road Allotment Garden. Copies of the above mentioned Order may obtained at this of this upon application. By Order. T. W. WEEDING. Clerk of the Council.

Local people would say that you should never buy pork with the rind cut off, as that’s where the ‘diamond’ blotches of swine fever would show. Without the rind, you couldn’t tell if the meat was infected. Source: my father, who also kept pigs at the Batsworth Road site in the 1950s.