02421cam a22003493u 4500 73583 UtSlPG 20260610134713.0 m cr n 260607r20241883utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d 15020036 UtSlPG en iso639-1 HF Walford, Cornelius, 1827-1885 Fairs, past and present Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg, 2024 1 online resource : multiple file formats text txt rdacontent computer c rdamedia online resource cr rdacarrier [Antiquary's library] Release date is 2024-05-09 deaurider and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive) "Fairs, Past and Present: A Chapter in the History of Commerce" by Cornelius Walford is a historical account written in the late 19th century. The book explores the origins, development, and significance of fairs as institutions that combine elements of commerce and social gatherings throughout history, particularly in Europe. It delves into the origins of fairs in relation to religious observances and their evolution into vital commercial hubs, with particular emphasis on notable fairs such as Sturbridge Fair. The opening of the work presents an engaging preface in which Walford explains the motivations behind writing this account, noting the general lack of scholarly attention on the topic of fairs despite their importance in commerce and society. He reflects on the dual nature of fairs as places of trade and community interaction, emphasizing that they originated from religious gatherings but transformed into commercial events that were crucial for economic transactions. The text sets the stage for a detailed examination of various historical fairs, illustrating their roles across different cultures and epochs, while hinting at the scholarly journey that informed the writing of this book. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Originally published: London: Elliot Stock, 1883 Fairs [Antiquary's library] https://archive.org/details/fairspastpresent00walf https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/73583 114308 114308