Coventry Dairies

Hi. My mum worked and lived at Harold Green's farm for 6 years, as secretary and companion/help to Mrs Green in the 1950's and she knows it was Lodge Farm at Walsgrave, now covered with every business you can see on the aerial views on Google maps. I saw the farmhouse derelict in the late 1970's and it was sad to see it in such disrepair. They pulled it down soon afterwards. Green had his own dairy and milk rounds next to The Mount Pleasant pub. He had nothing to with Midland Counties, he was an independent dairy, until he sold it to Midland Counties in later years. This is an interesting piece if you want to hear the recording by Harold Green or download the transcript here. Also available in iTunes here.

Whilst doing some digging at the bottom of our garden in Broad Lane, Birmingham, we found a milk bottle with the name Arthur Maddison and Sons Ltd Tile Hill 66769 Coventry we wondered how old the bottle could be, do you have any ideas?

Bertiewoost, I have only just noticed this thread. I remember Jack Ravenhall, the milkman. Before moving to Allesley, he lived near us in Jobs Lane. I remember his house as being a wonderful, old, all timber structure situated in a small wood and approached by crossing a wooden footbridge over a pond. This was demolished and several houses built on the site when Jack moved out. His milk wagon, at that time, was a converted WWII ambulance and the RAF roundel could still be seen under the paintwork on the bonnet. It could only be started by handcranking with a handle and when he stopped to make deliveries, he always left the engine running rather than go to through all the effort of restarting it. As you say, he was a lovely man and I never missed the opportunity to go to his house if my mother was short of milk. His wife was a lovely lady as well and I think there was always a biscuit on offer and a yarn or two from his dad, an old soldier who lived with them.

Thanks for that pall mall, I think it was about 1968/69 when I worked for him.

Firstly, sorry I've not been active for the last few months. I'm getting over a health issue which has prevented me from sitting for anything other than a few minutes at a time. Any enthusiasm for most things had simply just gotten up and cleared off .... However, as has already been confirmed, this dairy in the late 60's was definitely Quinneys. The dad of a very close friend of mine from Woodlands (which was clearly just down the road), Will Edgar, was the manager there. They lived in the flat that was situated above the office accommodation. This can still clearly be seen as you look at the building from the front, upstairs extreme right. Will was a very good rugby player and played for the school, but wasn't the best at maths. Consequently, we always used to do (especially) our maths homework together after school in that flat. Even after all these years, Will had never forgotten that - when we met again briefly at the Woodlands 50th, he introduced me to others as the one who used to do his homework for him ! Will - if you're reading this, please get in touch. You've moved on from the address that I had.

My dad and his parents used to be JL Elks and Son dairymen of Keresley, does anybody remember them?

What position was the factory on Gulson Road?

They used to collect the milk from the Co-op dairy on Browns Lane, now houses, their farm is on Wall Hill Road and they sold their own poultry eggs etc on their rounds.

1930 Swan lane, the farm is on the site that became the Co-op Dairy, was it a dairy farm on this photo

My grandad and my dad used to get milk from this depot on Browns Lane for their milk rounds, J L Elks and Son.

Hello, I came across this as Jack Ravenhall is my Grandad, his wife Beryl and him are still around and offering biscuits. My Grandad has actually seen some of your messages and (as you would expect knowing him) is very humbled by your comments! During the second world war, Grandad was delivering milk along Torrington Ave. and a German bomber was flying low, grandad looked up and the bomb bay doors opened and they dropped a bomb, Grandad ran and after the bomb had hit, he picked up a piece of shrapnel which he kept for many years. This didn't seem to phase my Grandad he carried on with the milk round straight after, then his father (Jack Sr) came along the road, saw the hole and thought his son had been killed by the bomb. He has plenty more stories, if any of you would like to hear them!

Welcome to the forum cravenhall Thank you for sharing your Grandads memories. I'm sure we would all like to see some more!

If your dad had ginger hair I remember him , he was my milk man when I lived in Lowe Road Keresley.

My father, Norman Morton and his lovely wife, Doris, finally ended up there - moved from Northfield Road. Although I never lived there myself, I do remember, as a child, my father taking me to the cafe at the end of Vecqueray Street/Gulson Road. Also one of the houses had been converted into a sweet shop? Their garden also backed onto the dairy. One day the police with their dogs had to come through the house to get to the dairy to try and catch some villain - no problem except the dogs were terrified of the wild German Shepherd (Alsatian?) my father used to have (it adored my father and was very jealous of anyone/anything getting my father's attention).