College Farm
London landmarks: a history of milk
Milk is something we take for granted. It's the silent partner in the perfect cup of tea, the froth in the cappuccino and the creation of the ideal scrambled egg. Yet I am aware of the many changes that have occurred in the consumption of this essential beverage. The yoghurts and milk products of the past have long gone. I was particularly partial to Eden Vale chocolate yoghurt, which was slightly bitter with a chocolate skin on the top. This would come courtesy of the milkman. We all used to receive our milk courtesy of the milkman. Who still does? The milkman was a figure of jest being assumed to be particularly libidinous but was an essential part of the suburban landscape. Who can forget Robin Asquith and Benny Hill's contribution to milk distribution mythology?
Float on
The means of delivery was of course, the milk float. The milk float was not only an urban icon but also ecologically efficient, being battery powered and a splendid retort to the speed merchant approach to motoring. In North London the great rivalry was between the blue and white milk floats of Express Dairies and the distinctive orange of United Dairies. There was rivalry between the differing sets of customers. The toy car company Spot On produced models of both so as not to appear partisan. My family were always United Dairies people although five minutes away you were in the land of Express Dairies.
One never knew where United Dairies were based although Express had a large depot and bottling plant in Cricklewood. It was filled with milk floats and large milk tankers. Although demolished some years ago the road serving the housing now on this site is called Dairy Way. They also had a rather quaint Victorian depot and shop near Golders Green cemetery, though whether this was connected with calcium being good for your bones we'll never know.
Splendid bullocks
One of Express Dairies more unusual premises was near Henly's Corner between Golders Green and Finchley. This was College Farm, which was a small working farm with real life cows and exhibits showing you how milk was produced, packed and distributed. I remember there being a large mobile display unit for Express Dairies on the site. There was also a shop selling Express Dairy products. With the advent of Thatcher, capitalism ceased to care about having an educational role. Mrs Thatcher, of course, was instrumental in phasing out school milk. For a time, College Farm became a city farm and an ideal place to teach urban kids to identify a few animals, but it closed a few years ago. The site is now home to an excellent equestrian shop and a trust has been set up with the aim of reopening it to the public, complete with animals, I hope. Today, I saw two particularly splendid bullocks there so perhaps the ghost of the saucy milkman lives on.
College Farm saved!
The College Farm Trust tells us that the battle to save the farm has been won (see message below). Plans to build a musem and educational facilities, and to restock the farm and re-open it to local schools will now be going ahead. It's fantastic to know that this unique feature of north London is being preserved. To find out more about the farm, go to the College Farm Trust
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Leave a message for us here.Messages
| Message: | 4/4 |
| Date and time: | 26/02/2010 at 19:16:11 |
| Sender: | Jo Wilkerson |
| My father and Grandfather both worked for United Dairies in the 50's when the horses pulled the carts. They took care of the horses, my grandad lived on the premises and we lived across the rd on Hollywood Road,We played alot in the dairy after hours it was a bit creepy.The horse were great tho they were a bit scary to a 12 year old.We were not there very much longer when they went to the electric floats we moved out of London to Haverhill and that was that. I now live in Oklahoma i often think about my childhood days tho, i plan on being in England next year and plan on visiting all my old stomping grounds.I went to Bousefield and then to Holland Park, i also did a few years at Hurlingham.Would love to hear from anybody whose family worked at the dairy and who may still live around there. jowilkerson88@yahoo.com Thanks | |
| Message: | 3/4 |
| Date and time: | 02/01/2010 at 20:35:51 |
| Sender: | James Bunting |
| My first seven years were spent in Finchley. I remember College Farm as that is where our milk delivery came from, by horse and cart until about 1960 when Express Dairies switched to electric milk floats. The milkman preferred the horse as it would move on down the street while he was delivering but he had to keep jumping on and off the elctric float to drive it himself. | |
| Message: | 2/4 |
| Date and time: | 29/09/2009 at 19:52:24 |
| Sender: | Gwyneth Bowen |
My father was employed by United Dairies for quite a number of years first with a horse drawn float operating from St Johns Wood and then an electric one till his death in 1960. Are there any records of staff employed by United Dairies that I can access. | |
| Message: | 1/4 |
| Date and time: | 17/03/2009 at 08:19:43 |
| Sender: | sue ault |
| Dear sir/madame, Where can i get infomation on an ancestor who was a milkman with united Daries. My grandfather fought in the 1st world war, on his daughters marrige certificate he is in the RGA and also down as a milkman. Are there any Archives anywhere please. I am desparate for infomation on my grandfather as he died before i was born. susancaroleault@hotmail.com yours sicerley sue ault | |
