by Cathy Thompson, 30 June 1995
If you haven’t been to the Red Hill Market for years, come and meet the new generation of stallholders.
It really is “The mother of all craft markets” as it was the first market with the concept of both making and selling the product yourself.
People who originally came with their parents are now bringing their own children or have taken up stall sites themselves.
Cate and Ross Corby are wonderful examples of the way the system operates. Cate’s mother, Margot Hammonds is a long time stall holder, painting fabric in gorgeous hues to wear as shirts and T shirts. Ross at 14 was making cakes with his parents until he grew old enough to take over the stall. Now Ross and Cate, parents of two beautiful boys, are the creators of that delicious chocolate confection, the famous Red Hill Mud Cake.
Barry Wright was a founding member of the Red Hill Market and now his son, Cameron Wright has taken over the stall, selling more and different varieties of the bush incense that his father created. His fiancee, Rosie Breen, decorates hats in a very individual style.
The love of rose gardening has been passed on from mother to daughter and Allison, Carole Stapleton’s daughter, hopes to continue the tradition her mother began with her hardy well grown plants.
The Red Hill Market is a microcosm of society’s everchanging face and features stall holders from eight to eighty, from all walks of life, who enjoy the market scene for a multitude of reasons.
“I love coming to the market” says Catriona Morrison. “When I was little, I had a stall with my family selling banana fritters, banana cakes etc. I remember the build up to each market day, worrying about the weather. The money paid for our holiday each year. Now I’m putting a home together and love buying the individual pieces available at the market. It’s been a part of my life for many years and it’s continues to have a special appeal which keeps me coming back, to see what’s new and what’s changed”
So set your alarm, get to the market early and enjoy a breakfast of crepes and coffee or delicious egg & bacon rolls, then set out on a tour of discovery and see what you think of the Red Hill Community Market, twenty years on.