IN DEPTH
Read some personal memories of Hammett's Dairies, by those who worked there.
1950's Hammetts, Exeter. Mike Chrichard comments "Hammetts Dairies, Sidwell St - blast from the past, Dad worked here before moving to Exhibition Way." Debbie Ridgway commented "My Dad Gordon Tootell started there in the mid 1950’s, finished at Exhibition Way 38 years later, on retirement. He retired just before Northern Foods took over. They shut it 6 years later!" (Courtesy Mike Chrichard)
1900's? J. Hammett, Proprietor outside Hammett's Dairy, 175-176 Sidwell Street, Exeter (Courtesy David Cornforth)
1957 Hammett's Dairies brochure, Front Cover. (Courtesy Michael Mitchell)
1957 Hammett's Dairies brochure. Page 1, describes how the Company was formed in 1925 in Sidwell Street, Exeter, later building a new creamery and distribution centre in Exhibition Way. (Courtesy Michael Mitchell)
1957 Hammett's Dairies brochure. Churn collection from farms and milk reception. (Courtesy Michael Mitchell)
1957 Hammett's Dairies brochure. HTST Pasteurisation with refrigeration supported by UDEC ammonia compressors. (Courtesy Michael Mitchell)
1957 Hammett's Dairies brochure. Process flow diagram from milk reception to bottled milk despatch. (Courtesy Michael Mitchell)
1957 Hammett's Dairies brochure. Bottle filling and recrating. (Courtesy Michael Mitchell)
1957 Hammett's Dairies brochure. Bottle filling, recrating and despatch. (Courtesy Michael Mitchell)
1957 Hammett's Dairies brochure. 'Devon Vale' butter, cheese, clotted cream and yoghurt. (Courtesy Michael Mitchell)
1957 Hammett's Dairies brochure. Laboratory control and canteen. (Courtesy Michael Mitchell)
1957 Hammett's Dairies brochure. Back Cover. (Courtesy Michael Mitchell)
1957 Hammett's Dairies brochure extracts-unloading churns onto the conveyor for automatic weighing and tipping. (Courtesy Michael Mitchell)
1957 Hammett's Dairies brochure extracts-sampling milk for analysis in the laboratory. (Courtesy Michael Mitchell)
1957 Hammett's Dairies brochure extracts-churn tipping and weighing. (Courtesy Michael Mitchell)
1957 Hammett's Dairies brochure extracts-milk storage tanks and pasteurising plant. (Courtesy Michael Mitchell)
1957 Hammett's Dairies brochure extracts-refrigeration plant room. (Courtesy Michael Mitchell)
1957 Hammett's Dairies brochure extracts-bottling hall... decrating, washing, filling and recrating. (Courtesy Michael Mitchell)
1957 Hammett's Dairies brochure extracts-bottle washing and filling. (Courtesy Michael Mitchell)
1957 Hammett's Dairies brochure extracts-wire crates in the cold store awaiting loading and despatch. (Courtesy Michael Mitchell)
1957 Hammett's Dairies brochure extracts-loading bank. (Courtesy Michael Mitchell)
1957 Hammett's Dairies brochure extracts-clotted cream production in heated bowls. (Courtesy Michael Mitchell)
1957 Hammett's Dairies brochure extracts-'Devon Vale' butter pack. (Courtesy Michael Mitchell)
1957 Hammett's Dairies brochure extracts-Cheddar cheese conditioning store. (Courtesy Michael Mitchell)
1957 Hammett's Dairies brochure extracts-cheese vat room. (Courtesy Michael Mitchell)
1957 Hammett's Dairies brochure extracts-laboratory in action. (Courtesy Michael Mitchell)
1957 Hammett's Dairies brochure extracts-butterfat testing using the 'Gerber' method. (Courtesy Michael Mitchell)
1957 Hammett's Dairies brochure extracts-canteen facilities for staff. (Courtesy Michael Mitchell)
1967 Reg. Hammetts AEC Tankers. "MMB Crediton collected Hammett's Dairy milk in the 1970's. Brian May added "Hammetts Dairy was in Pinhoe, where Lidl are now." Philip Broom adds "John Hodgers was the first bulk driver for Hammett's-I think it was 1967." (Courtesy Brian May, Devon Hauliers FB Group)
1967 Reg. Hammetts AEC Tanker at Exhibition Way, Exeter. (Courtesy Philip Broom, Devon Hauliers FB Group)
1972 - A Close-up of Hammett's Dairies
1972 - A Close-up of Hammett's Dairies
1972 - A Close-up of Hammett's Dairies
1972 - A Close-up of Hammett's Dairies
1972 - A Close-up of Hammett's Dairies
1972 - A Close-up of Hammett's Dairies - Ron Yates
1971 Express acquisitions include Ambrosia Lapford Creamery, Magheralin, Virginia and Hammetts Dairies. (Express News Christmas)
2023 Memories of Hammett's Dairies Page 1
2023 Memories of Hammett's Dairies Page 2
2026, January. Exeter office and canteen block demolition (Courtesy Paul Ditchburn)
2026 Exeter office and canteen block demolition in Exhibition Way. Mike Walling remembers "It was Hammett's Dairies, I worked in the wages office there in 1962/3 till I was old enough to join the RAF, I had already passed the entrance exams. The chap who ran the canteen on the ground floor was a keen rally driver and drove a Sunbeam Rapier. Opposite was rough ground where I parked my Triumph Cub, then my Vellocette Venom motorbike. The next building towards the main road was Caterpillar main workshop. The office Manager was Dave Balkwill, assisted by Bernard Addison and the office clerk was Miss Cox (probably about 40). All the calculations were done manually including overtime and all tax matters. We used to go to the small Lloyds Bank in Pinhoe to collect the cash on a Thursday morning before we made up the wage packets, then I would walk round the factory giving out the wage packets. Including all the drivers, factory staff (including creamery and cheese workers) together with office staff-there were just under 400 persons. Hammett's used to own Dairies in Dawlish, Exmouth, Sandy Bay, Sidmouth and Honiton." (Courtesy Leona Devon)
