There are a number of serious collectors of dairy memorabilia. Between them they have a lot of knowledge and expertise. Many are keen to expand their collections further, and offer advice to fellow collectors and others. Accredited museums are also an important source of material and advice.
Leslie Croxford
Leslie explains that he has quite a big collection... lots of card bottle tops for wide neck bottles, enamelled bottles, packaging, Job's Dairy memorabilia, dairy uniforms etc. "You name it, I'll collect anything to do with the milk industry!" The images above show how well-presented his collection is.
Steven hern
Background
Ste Hern explains the background to his hobby "Growing up in the 90s, I spent many a lunch break at primary school huddled around small stacks of cardboard discs (Pogs) which were bought, swapped, and collected-with many of us building large collections. Thinking back, I suppose that that’s where my interest started.
For Christmas one year I received a ‘Pog milk cap maker’ – It was only when I started looking into the name that I discovered that the game had in fact started using the cardboard milk caps in Hawaii. Through research, I also found out that the UK had adopted the use of the milk caps to seal wide top glass milk bottles around the late 1890s and so the seed was sown and the hunt for these caps was on."
THE COLLECTION
Despite having vanished over half a century ago, there are still a number of milk cap collectors around - small quantities of caps are sometimes found in house clearances or old shops and dairies but are quickly snapped up by collectors if they have desirable designs.
No matter where I go, I can always be found skulking around antiques shops and rummaging at the bottom of boxes trying to find more caps to add to my collection. I’m also in contact with other collectors and we regularly swap caps between ourselves to improve and expand our collections.
If anyone has any of these caps which they think may be of interest, please don’t hesitate to contact me – I’m always looking for UK caps to add to my collection.
CONTACTS
MARK HUDSON
Mark has been collecting milk bottles and associated milk delivery memorabilia since 1974 when he was ten years old. He is always keen to hear from others who share his passion, were connected to the milk trade or have anything dairy-related to part with.
Mark uses his nickname 'Milkmark' on social media and eBay.
CONTACTS
PAUL LUKE
to be completed
MUSEUM OF ENGLISH RURAL LIFE (MERL)
MERL is recognised as a prime UK source for information about all aspects of agriculture, food and rural life. The museum in Reading, Berkshire is open to the public and includes extensive and well presented galleries covering many aspects of rural life, including a small dairying section, shown in part above.
The MERL, which is run by the University of Reading, also includes a library, extensive archives, a database of collections and can receive donations of material by agreement.
There are special exhibitions including events for children and young people, a café, garden and shop.
ADDRESS AND CONTACTS
PAUL SMITH
to be completed
Steve WHEELER
Steve Wheeler's Milk Bottle Museum was featured on BBC Bargain Hunt in December 2023. Steve explains how his collection started and expanded, and shows the first glass milk bottle from Express Dairy in the 1880's. You can also watch the full BBC programme on this link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001tcbh