IN DEPTH
Alfred Rowntree and his wife Margeurite founded Coverham Dairy in the Yorkshire Dales in 1912, after previously setting up Masham Dairy in 1906. Trading as Alfred Rowntree and Son, he went on to win awards for Wensleydale cheese. Many cheesemakers were trained at the dairy, especially female staff, who went on to work at many other creameries (see the section on Ruyton Co-operative Dairies). Read on the Yorkshire Dales website, all about the creamery and those who worked there.
This interesting photo-essay was published by The Guardian in 2025 "Gotta lotta bottle: doing the rounds with Britain’s last milkmen". Pictures by Dr Maxine Beuret include Kirby & West, Parker Dairies, Milk & More, Sheldons (Knutsford), B&A Dairies (Coventry), and Cotteswold Dairy.
1937 E.J. Dalton Dairy, Hayes End, Alan Piper comments "Syd Piper (my father)", Richard Gaylard comments "I think the two farms were Ickenham and Hayes End (Charville Lane).
1954c Margate, Barry Raymond comments "My dad on the right with their parents Jack & Madge Coker, actually John & Margaret. (Courtesy Barry Raymond)
1954c Margate Alan and Bob Coker in the front, in the back Barry Raymond with Josie Coker. (Courtesy Barry Raymond)
1960's? Dalton Dairy milk bottle, eBay. John Watton comments "I lived in Kingsway and Dalton's used to deliver milk every morning. The Dalton family are now at Copthall Farm, Brakespear Road South, Ickenham where they have a beef herd."
1960s? Dalton's Dairies, Hillingdon.
1961 Dalton's Dairies delivery in Westbourne Road, Hillingdon, Julie remembers "This is me with my friend Christopher, we loved having a ride on the milk cart. My 93 year old Mum took the photo, the horse would always stop outside our house and wouldn’t move again until she was given a carrot!! We had 6 pints of milk a day delivered!! 😊😊Happy days!! Ian Torbet adds "the milkman was Gordon, and the horse was called Queenie". (Courtesy Julie Hunt, London Borough Hillingdon Past in Pictures FB Group)
1970s Dalton's Dairies-Ray Coker. (Courtesy Barry Raymond)
1970s Dalton's Dairies-Ron Coker. (Courtesy Barry Raymond)
1970’s Daltons Farm Dairies Ltd Home Farm Hayes Milk Bottle (Courtesy milkbottles2urdoor, eBay)
1986 Kevin Avery says "Daltons Farm Dairies Horse and Cart milk float was brought out of mothballs for a day..." Sue Vella comments "Roy and his mare-I think was called Palo who worked the milk round. She went on to produce a wonderful youngster called Esme, who took over from her. The dam came out of Southall market, she was a really good mare. Roy a fantastic horseman."
1988, Parkfield Ave. Lesley Robinson comments "still going strong..." (Courtesy Lesley Robinson)
1988, Parkfield Ave. Lesley Robinson comments "still going strong..." (Courtesy Lesley Robinson)
2024 Dalton's Dairy buildings (Courtesy Anthony Smith)
Memories of Dalton’s Dairies, compiled from Hayes/Uxbridge/Hillingdon and District in Old Photos FB Group - Page 1
Memories of Dalton’s Dairies, compiled from Hayes/Uxbridge/Hillingdon and District in Old Photos FB Group - Page 2
1950s Hemyock Station, Devon, in the 1950s, open for dairy traffic until 1975. (Courtesy Christopher Leigh)
1950s? Hemyock, Devon-"A single carriage waits at the platform. Amyas Crump comments "Another from Edgar’s Lowmans set."Express only did egg packing at Hemyock, the dairy later became St Ivel. (Courtesy Discovering Devon, Somerset and beyond FB)
1950s? Hemyock, Devon-"View from the platform, showing how close the track was to the river." Express only did egg packing at Hemyock, the dairy later became St Ivel. (Courtesy Discovering Devon, Somerset and beyond FB)
1950s? Hemyock, Devon-"Looking back to the station, from Station Road." Amya's Crump comments "Edgar Lowman photo, from the top of the creamery oil storage tanks." Express only did egg packing at Hemyock, the dairy later became St Ivel. (Courtesy Discovering Devon, Somerset and beyond FB)
1960s? Hemyock, Devon-"A steam locomotive moves a rake of milk tanks, while several other milk tanks sit behind the station". Express only did egg packing at Hemyock, the dairy later became St Ivel." (Courtesy Discovering Devon, Somerset and beyond FB)
1960s? Hemyock, Devon-"A rake of milk tanks on the northernmost siding that crosses the road and enters the dairy." Amyas Crump and Mike Pike recognise Len Mutter. Express only did egg packing at Hemyock, the dairy later became St Ivel. (Courtesy Discovering Devon, Somerset and beyond FB)
1960s? Hemyock, Devon-"Looking over the River Culm to a rake of milk tanks". Express only did egg packing at Hemyock, the dairy later became St Ivel. (Courtesy Discovering Devon, Somerset and beyond FB)
1970s? Hemyock, Devon-"View from Hemyock towards the dairy and Combe Hill, with the station site in the bottom left. You can see the crossing gates where the southernmost siding traversed the road." Express only did egg packing at Hemyock, the dairy later became St Ivel. (Courtesy Discovering Devon, Somerset and beyond FB)
1970s? Hemyock, Devon-A diesel locomotive and a rake of milk tanks stand on a siding, after the station had closed. The station building and platform were in the centre of the photo, with the cattle dock siding to the left, overgrown by this stage. Amyas Crump comments "I suggest it’s the last train, leaving." "Express only did egg packing at Hemyock, the dairy later became St Ivel. (Courtesy Discovering Devon, Somerset and beyond FB)
1970s? Hemyock, Devon-"A diesel locomotive with a rake of milk tanks, after the station had closed." Amyas Crump comments "That’s after it had been demolished, quite possibly the last train." Express only did egg packing at Hemyock, the dairy later became St Ivel. (Courtesy Discovering Devon, Somerset and beyond FB)
1910's? H.E. Robinson, Mitcham. John Collier posts "A photo of my grandad on his milk round". (Courtesy John Collier, Mitcham History FB Group)
1912 postcard, shows ‘H.E. Robinson’ on the left with the White Hart on the right. H.E. Robinson Dairy, Mitcham, Surrey (Courtesy Mitcham History)
1923 Robinson milk cart and baker's shop hit by run-away horse. Mitcham Advertiser – Friday 22 June 1923 (Courtesy Mitcham History, Courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD)
1936 Mitcham Shopping Week advertisement. (Courtesy Mitcham History Notes, Courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD)
1937 H.E. Robinson Dairy, Mitcham, Surrey advertisement (Courtesy Mitcham History)
1950s? Robinson's Dairies, Mitcham
1952 Advertisement for H.E. Robinson Dairy, Mitcham, Surrey (Courtesy Mitcham History)
1954 map showing location of H.E. Robinson Dairy at 356 London Road, Mitcham, Surrey (Courtesy Mitcham History, National Library of Scotland)
