Portobello Road, previously thought to have been called Green Lanes, appears to have been born from a small footpath that linked Notting Hill Gate to an area two miles North West of Notting Hill, namely Kensal Green. An exact date the footpath was started is likely to remain unknown. It has been suggested that is was around the 1400's, but it became a much more popular thoroughfare with the advent of Porto Bello Farm, which was built approximately half way down the lane in 1740. The farm itself was named to commemorate Admiral Vernon who captured the coastal city of Puerto Bello, Panama in 1739 (a town favored by the Spanish for Silver and other treasure trading). Following the construction of the farm, the natural course was to follow suit by renaming the footpath Porto Bello Lane, which, in turn, became Portobello Road during the 1850's as roads, homes and businesses were gradually developed along its route.
Portobello Road Market itself started life in the late 1860's, early 1870's when many houses on the road were still under construction. Market traders, or "costermongers" as then were then known, started primarily by selling food produce, with business being driven by the ever expanding neighborhood, which in turn started to attract many other traders who began selling medicines and other general "bric-a-brac" goods. Side shows and street performers were also reported to have been getting in on the act, setting up opposite the food stalls themselves to cash in on the steady flow of customers. Up until the end the of 1920's traders were only operating on Saturday's, mainly due to the restrictions levied upon them by the local council, but after a lengthy battle they finally managed to approve opening on many other days and the market began to flourish.
By the end of the Second World War, around 1945, many "Rag and Bone" men started setting up stalls and selling second hand household items and antiques. The men were renown for selling high quality items for low prices and word soon started to spread. More knowledgeable buyers caught on to the deals on offer and moved in to make a fast profit. This in turn kick-started the Antiques section of the market which is positioned near the top end of Portobello Road between Lonsdale Road & Chepstow Villas, heading up towards Notting Hill Gate.
Moving on another 10-15 years or so, during the late 1960's, fashion traders started to appear, attracted by the low cost of running a stall and the regular flow of potential buyers, completing Portobello Road Market with it's final dimension and helping it to continue the success it enjoys today.
The author of this article helps run a local community website called http://www.notting-hill.org covering shops, business, bars, entertainment, events, hotels, the Notting Hill carnival and housing.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Karolin_Eriksson
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