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South Morden Processing
Interesting video showing the bottling and cartoning operation, shot around 1991 . Created by David Faux when he worked for the Milk Marketing Board. (6:40)
Express Dairy Milkman advert (0:52)
To encourage you to buy other products as well as milk.
Narrated by Richard Williams (Canadian-british animator and voiceover), with cartoon characters.
Narrated by Richard Williams (Canadian-british animator and voiceover), with cartoon characters.
'ORDER AN EXTRA PINT' ADVERT (0:54)
1970's Huntley Film Archive copy "Animation for Express Dairy Milk. The little cartoon milkman gets out of his milk float, and performs a song and dance routine under a spotlight, imploring that mums shouldn't run out of milk."
'The Daily Round - The Story of Milk Production and Distribution' Express sponsored film from 1950's (22:27)
This film by depicts the complete production and distribution process of Express Dairy milk and other products, documenting the daily supply of fresh dairy products, with fast transport from rural farm to London, a slick operation in the 50s, with bottling, testing and distribution handled at the South Morden plant, and delivery by express “milk train” from its own private sidings on the Wimbledon – Sutton line. Includes footage of early supermarket shop interiors and the experimental Express Dairies College Farm in Finchley, London. The film closes with scenes from a cookery demonstration.
Produced by Turners Film Unit, Newcastle and made available by the Yorkshire Film Archive.
Express Cookery Demonstration (6:08)
Promotional film of cookery demonstrations using Express Dairy Cottage Cheese, filmed in the Demonstration Kitchen at South Morden, probably in 1959.
Produced by Turners Film Unit, Newcastle and made available by the Yorkshire Film Archive.
Memories of Express Bloomsbury Depot
From the 1980's and 1990's, capturing some of the characters who worked at the depot.
Video compilation of Express News Front Covers (11:23)
Includes notes on editions that are missing from our Express Dairy Tales collection
CAN YOU HELP?
CAN YOU HELP?
Hornby & Clarke, Richmond in the 1950's (Silent 6:49)
Features Guernsey cows on Petersham Meadows, hand and machine milking, churn collection, laboratory testing, batch pasteurising, bottle filling, crating into wire crates, delivery with electric hand-carts and children drinking school milk.
From British Instructional Films Ltd, made available by British Pathe, you can also watch the original on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8z1H0tnx1o
BERYL PURSLOVE'S RETIREMENT - 1992
Beryl Purslove was Internal Audit Manager based at South Ruislip, and retired in June 1992, after 47 years. This interesting video was made by Steve Lorton, Accountant and he narrates and includes some memories at the end.
Many well-known Express Dairy names and faces appear, including Alf Bellwood, Molly Bendon, Mike Smith, Chris Austen, Marian Morgan, George Chant, Pat Alexander, Sheila Neale, Marian Williams, Elaine Hunt, Dawn Cordrey, Margaret Cackett, Linda Clow, David Rowling, Charlie Samson and Dennis Watson.
Express Dairy milkman Alan Smith retires after 45 years - 1987
Customers explain what Alan meant to them, and Alan mentions some of his experiences helping them on his Barnes milk round, from Putney Depot.
Job's Dairy, Didcot - 1961
A tour of the dairy surroundings, buildings and plant.
John Carey's Last Milk Round in Wimbledon
John started as a milk boy when still at school and became an Express milkman in 1961 until he retired from Wimbledon Depot (then Dairy Crest) in August 2011. This was featured on BBC News, in this video.
PREMIER SUPERMARKETS
Promotional film produced by Turners Film Unit in 1957 advertising Premier Supermarkets, the first American style self-service retailing in Britain, with Express Dairy opening the first store in Streatham High Street, London, in 1951. The film features opening scenes of young women enjoying leisure time with family and friends contrasting with the effort involved in shopping before the advent of the supermarket. It also records the food production, selection and supply, processing and packaging industries that deliver to Premier Supermarket warehouse at Ruislip, including Thorpe Lea Nurseries. From the North East Film Archive.
Seaton Junction in Express Days
A video story of the rise and decline of Seaton Junction, a part of Devon industrial and railway history in the small village of Shute, near Axminster. The coming of the station in 1860 led to the establishment of an Express Dairy Egg Packing plant and dairy, which sent milk daily to London until the late 1960's.
Ski Yogurt TV Commercials
Eight ads from 1967 (after the acquisition of Swiss Milk Products by Express Dairy in 1966) until 2003 (Nestle)
The Creamery At Ruyton XI Towns
Charming 1993 video with a little history of Ruyton XI Towns, and a detailed account of cheesemaking at this time.
REECE'S CREAMERY AT MALPAS, CHESHIRE
Express Foods film from 1989, showing the production of Cheshire cheese at the old Malpas Creamery which Express acquired in 1987. Shortly after the film was made, production was transferred to a new site in Malpas. Also mentioned is the Express cheese cutting plant at Oswestry (which opened in 1988).
Exeter Processing Dairy
This video was made by Mike Browning, shortly before the Exhibition Way plant closed in 1993/4. It shows the complete milk processing, bottling and cartoning operation from start to finish.
Apologies for the poor quality of this video; the original tapes have been lost and this is a heavily edited version created from a TV screen copy.
TARVIN DAIRY
The early history of Pool Bank Dairy, started by Tarvin dairy farmer and cattle breeder Mr G.B. Radcliffe in the 1920's, and purchased by Express Dairy in 1947 who ran it until it closed in 1995. From a 1938 film promoting the use of electricity to Cheshire people.
Tarvin Dairy
Shows the operation of the dairy just before closure in 1995 and many of the staff who worked there. Created in 2024 from footage taken the day before closure, and with help from the 'Old Tarvin' Facebook group members who worked at the site.
'The Bill'
Video clips and stills from the episode that was filmed on location at South Morden dairy. First broadcast on 25th March, 1994.
Express Foods film from 1989, "Setting the Standards"
Showcases the Company's operations including Express Dairy (liquid milk), Eden Vale, Ski, Express Foods, Express Distribution, Dairy Produce Packers and Express Ireland. The acquisition of Fleur de Lys, Kaysens, Thayer's & Peter's Savoury Products is highlighted. The attainment of BS5750 accreditation at Lockerbie is mentioned, and at the end the widening of Grand Metropolitan's interests when they acquired Pillsbury (Green Giant, Haagen Dazs, Hammond Sauces & Burger King) and William Hill betting shops is added as a footnote.
Express Foods Corporate Video - Watch on YouTube
1991 video highlights the Company's operations including Express Dairy-liquid milk, Express Foods, Express Ireland, Eden Vale, Coldstream-distribution, IDV-Bailey's, Ski and Munch Bunch. Investments at Oswestry, Malpas and Minsterley are mentioned, along with advances in effluent treatment.
Rural Museums Network
Presentation in November 2023, explaining how the Express Dairy Tales website and Facebook Group started and is managed. Topics discussed include an outline of Express Dairy's activities, hardware and software used to prepare material, the Facebook Group and how it's managed, and issues of image quality, attribution and copyright. Peter also lists the costs involved in setting up and running the website on a continuing basis, and thoughts about preserving the archive for the future.