Milk and the Milkman and a mention of the Corona Man

OH went to a quiz the other night and one of the questions was - 

What's the main reason for going out of your front door in your dressing gown"?

He was with a group of younger people and not one of them were able to answer the question.  He asked me the question and my reply was "the milkman".

The milkman was a regular occurrence in our household.  Each morning we would go and fetch the milk in - important in the summer months as otherwise the milk would go off.  Delivered in 1 pint bottles in a particular design and then later being changed to a slightly different design.  In the winter months you used to get milk ice cubes pop through the bottle tops or the birds used to peck at the tops. Latterly we have gone to card containers and plastic bottles to in the majority of places the milk being bought from the supermarket rather than be delivered by the milkman.

There was then milk at school.  The government were worried that children were not getting the right sort of foods and vitamins and the milk was introduced into school for the children to have at break.  Often if someone was away you used to get a second bottle.  I love milk OH does not.

The job of the milkman was a boon for the elderly as the milkman used to detect if milk was left on the doorstep and if too much then they would be able to alert the authorities that there was a possible problem it also saved the elderly from having to walk a way.  Sadly in many places the milkman has gone and we are reduced to buying the milk in plastic containers - not so elegant and I found to my cost can be dangerous which I had not appreciated.  In work the other day I went to wash a plastic milk bottle out to recycle it into the appropriate bin and filled it with hot water and put the lid on and it exploded.  Blowing the lid right off and spraying everywhere.  Fortunately I had not put too much hot water in.  I shall not be doing that again in a hurry.

However, I am not sure that this "progress" ie is really well founded.  I think people have become isolated as a result.  Sometimes the only person older folk used to see was the milkman when he called either to deliver or collect the milk money.  Where my aunt lived they had a system where they paid up front for the milk and were given plastic coins.  They left out the amount of these coins in an egg cup which would let the milkman know how many pints of milk would be required that day.  That same aunt also left plastic caps out for the milkman to pop on the  milk once delivered to stop the birds getting the milk.

Another casualty of the Internet Revolution the milkman was useful in more ways than one.  Part of the community.  

When we first moved to Peterborough the local dairy was Horrells Dairies and they used to deliver the milk by horse and cart and all the kiddies used to go out and pet the pony or give it a treat like an apple or carrots.  The animals were grazed locally on beautiful countryside where wildflowers grew and we used to be able to collect mushrooms.  Woodland and now built on for new housing estates etc.  Then they introduced the little vans and the ponies went.  Not as interesting to us youngsters we preferred the ponies.

Then there were the other things that the milkman used to deliver like cream and eggs and fizzy pop.  After the Corona man was also disposed off  - Corona having closed down the milkman used to deliver.  I am not sure whether they offered the service whilst the Corona man was still around or whether this was something that was introduced afterwards.

For those of you who do not know the Corona man used to deliver fizzy pop in large bottles one of the favourites being Orange pop or Cherry pop and lemonade. A big favourite of mine has always been Dandelion and Burdock. It was a great treat to us youngsters.  In proper glass bottles and not plastic bottles or metal tins.

Rather than something run of the mill having a pop drink was a big treat.  I still remember my first Ice Cream Float when I was 17 at the Wimpy Bar in Stamford something that I love to this day - but yet again don't have very often.

No doubt many more traditional things will fall out of favour because of the Internet.  Don't know about you but if I am buying something especially fabric or threads, wool etc.  I like to see it, touch it and feel it.  The internet does not give you that kind of interaction.  Some things it does terribly well at but not when it comes to my crafting.

Catch you later.

Pattypan

x

Comments

  1. We didn't have Corona, we had the Jonco man. Mum would never let me have dandelion & burdock as she was convinced that it contained alcohol. I also remember the rag&bone man with his horse and cart. Happy days...

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  2. I remember the Corona man but we couldn't afford it. He delivered to my best friend's house and I was really envious. We also had the baker deliver every day. Very convenient in a big family with no car to have bread and milk brought to the house every day.

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