"There has been an open market on the St George's site dating back to the 17th century. The present St George's Market was built in three stages between 1890 and 1896.
Pre-1890, St George’s Market was an open market with stalls similar in style to May’s Market and certainly included a meat market and slaughter house. Its name may have come from St George’s Church in High Street.
Design and concept
The original open St George’s Market would have been smaller than the 1890 structure. It was designed by the then city surveyor JC Bretland - architect of the 1896 Fish Market and the new Albert Bridge following its collapse in the 1880s.
Built in red brick with sandstone dressings, external features of St George’s include Roman pedimented arches with Latin and Irish mottos. The Latin motto, pro tanto quid retribuamus, means for so much what shall we give in return? And the Irish motto, lámh dearg na hÉireann, means Red Hand of Ireland.
The central portico contains the Belfast Coat of Arms.
Light and spacious interiors with glazed roofs are supported by 70 cast iron columns made by Ritchie, Hart and Co of Belfast and Glasgow based company Brownlie S Murray.
The covered St George’s Market was open to the public on 20 June 1890 for the sale of butter and eggs. "
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"The current Belfast Coat of Arms dates from 30 June 1890 when the Ulster King of Arms made a Grant of Arms to the new city of Belfast.
The motto Pro tanto quid retribuamus comes from Psalm CXVI (116), verse 12 of the Bible.
The precise origins and meanings of the symbols contained on the Coat of Arms are unknown. But images such as the bell, the seahorse, the ship and the chained wolf were all used by 17th-century Belfast merchants on their signs and coinage. The seahorse, which is used twice, shows the maritime importance of Belfast, as does the ship at the base of the shield.
The name Belfast also originates from the Gaelic Beal Feirste, which means mouth of the river."
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