Jim Cochrane posted this photo asking, “Anybody know what these were for? Found them last night when looking for some old horse harness.”
Featuring Blantyre Project Social Media with permission. Strictly not for use by others on or offline, our visitors said,
Paul Veverka These are milk pails a predecessor of milk bottles. They were filled from larger milk vats on the back of horse pulled carts during milk deliveries, used even into the 1950s. If the resident wasn’t in, these pails could be left on doorsteps and empties collected next day.
Jim Cochrane From a time when your milk came direct from the local farm.
Gillian Cunningham Are these for sale ?
Jim Cochrane No they still belong to the same family with the name on them
Susan Dunsmuir If they were in New England US, I would say they look a lot like the pails used to collect maple sap for syrup making.
The Blantyre Project This great picture couldn’t sum it up any better! Courtesy of Alex Rochead, this is a young Arthur Rochead in 1947 delivering milk using these small type of pails from the back of his Broompark Farm cart. I’ve still to work out if this is Hunthill Road or Broompark Rd.
Jim Cochrane Looks like the same pails
Susan Lindner Brilliant photo!
The Blantyre Project Jim Cochrane could be! Jim Rocheads farm (Broompark)
Arlene Campbell The Blantyre Projectwhat a picture
Andrew Hughes There are a few advantages (very few) of being old, one is remembering what once was, and what it was used for, milkmen are gradually being phased out as the years roll by and many people have no idea were their food comes from or even how it is grown or produced.
Jim McSorley I am proud to be a Blantyre co- op milk boy. The old Smith Electric vans registration number was SGA 855
Moyra Lindsay My dad would have loved that you remembered that . Willie Stewart.
Andy Callaghan I was a Co milkboy too. Freezin’ cold winter mornings. Kept warm doing the round on the run. Hands blue wi’ the cold of the metal crates. Tough wee job but I liked it. Apart from the dragging yourself out your kip bit on a cold dark morning.
Jim McSorley Moyra Lindsay yes he lived upstairs. The only building left of the whole yard Plus if you look carefully there are some old railings in the ground just outside
John Cornfield Wilkie warrior for Peter then Sandy Willie morning run then the night run with Sandy then promoted to the wimpey and greenlees road and earnock great days with Sany Wilkie great guy
Jim McSorley John Kelly also a warrior and Peter o Brian I think
Jim McSorley Co- op milk boys that I can remember. John mc sorley, Danny Scully, Jamie Scully, Davey mc Keown, John bonzo Brown, Stewart Hill, Tommy Ward Tam Downey. Van men Ian Carr Archie mc Laughlan ( councilor) Davey Campbell Ian Clarkson. Rab Shearer. Checkers marshal Jeffrey bill ? Technician Mr Stewart. So much history there on its own did not mention the bakery staff Mr Wilson and others ??
The Blantyre Project Jim – thanks for that. Such a good little snippet of info deserving a place in the massive definitive A-Z of Blantyre. Now duly recorded.
Walter Fleming Look like billy cans for making tea in as it is difficult from the photo to determine the size of them ?
Ernie Fleming I know what you mean Walter, scale would help. I think having company name on them suggests otherwise, more likely used for deliveries.
Brilliant input from Blantyreians or whatever they’re called. Lol
Brilliant input from Blantyreians or whatever they’re called. Lol
Co-op milk boy 1956-60, Bill Byers and Davy Campbell were van men, great memories and learned about hard graft. Only bad memory was being left with a broken leg after electric van reversed over me in yard. George Fulston
I delivered milk in these cans for Dunlop at the top of Station road and with peter Wilkie when he took over the run when mr. Dunlop retired