I do like social history snippets. My friend Archie Simm shared with me recently some memories of various things once delivered reliably around Blantyre.
Like Milk for example. He added, “I remember the days when we could count on the milk being delivered in bottles before 8:00am and depending where you were on the route, as early as 6:00am. No matter what time, it was the same every morning 6 days a week, all weather, 52 weeks a year and mainly delivered by school kids before their school day began. I know, I was one of those kids for over 3 years and not the only one in my family.”
I remember the milk deliveries too. Who could forget bottles left on your doorsteps? In all my time at Stonefield Crescent, I don’t ever remember anybody pinching them from outside. However, the starlings used to peck the silver or gold foil off the top to get to the cream and in winter it would often freeze over and burst out the bottle.
I have no memory of recycling glass bottles. Wonder what my parents did with them everyday? What’s your memories of milk deliveries in Blantyre?
In New York City in the 1940’s and 50’s we had glass milk bottles delivered to our porch each day (we were 6 kids plus Granny and my parents – we drank a lot of milk). I remember the cream popping out of the top in the Winter. The top was made of cardboard.
I worked before going to school (late 1940 to early 50)for Mr.Dunlop at the top of Station road (with cans no bottled). When Dunlop retired Peter Wilkie took over also with horse and cart.
I was a milk boy with the co-op van and driver Davy Campbell, with Robert and Jimmy Mckean. We had heavy crates to carry, drop off the milk and picked up the empties and they were taken back to Co-op junction of Auchinraith Road and Craig Street. It was hard going but we usually had a bit of fun also.