Editing Woolwich (section)

==== Retail ====
[[File:Woolwich, Hare Street, 1911 postcard.jpg|thumb|Hare Street in 1911]]
Woolwich market received its charter in 1618 but is certainly older. The market, which had long been established in the High Street in [[Old Woolwich]] (at a location called Market Hill), had gradually drifted towards the [[Royal Arsenal Gatehouse|Royal Arsenal's main gatehouse]], more or less at its present location. This was not approved by the authorities and a new market was set up in the [[Bathway Quarter]] around 1810. This proved to be a failure and is remembered only in the name of Market Street. Until 1879, the market at [[Beresford Square]] remained illegal and was regularly cleared by the police. After it was legalized, it had room for 136 stalls. [[Italo Svevo]] described it as "very lively" in 1903. In 1936, a covered market opened in Plumstead Road but never formed a threat to the main market. Beresford Square had the largest [[Pub|public houses]] (of which Woolwich had many).<ref>Saint & Guillery (2012), pp. 49, 226–227.</ref> [[Powis Street]] and Hare Street, laid out in the early 19th century, became the main shopping streets. A number of Victorian shop facades, many designed by local architect Henry Hudson Church, have survived.<ref>Saint & Guillery (2012), pp. 197–200.</ref>

In 1868 the [[Royal Arsenal Co-operative Society]] was established, which developed into one of the biggest [[consumer cooperative]]s in the country with two department stores in Powis Street, shops around South East London, manufacturing and food production plants, a building society, a funeral service and many other areas of entrepreneurship.