St Cuthbert's Co-op Milk Delivery |
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Recollections |
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1. |
Bryan Gourlay |
- Priestfield - Bellevue |
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2. |
Susan Fraser |
- My Grandfather |
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3. |
Kim Traynor with reply from
Bryan Gourlay |
- Horse-drawn Carts - Roofed Cart - Other Types of Cart |
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- Roofed Cart - Film Clip |
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4. |
Ian Mycko |
- Answer: Morningside Road - Horses |
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5. |
Danny Callaghan |
- My Uncle |
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6. |
John Tait |
- From Age Seven - Ginger |
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7. |
- Gypsy - Stockbridge |
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8. |
- 'Whitson Mick' |
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9. |
Jocelyn
Ghani |
- Bellevue |
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10. |
Jim
Patience |
- East Claremont Street |
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11. |
Danny
Callaghan |
- Broughton Point |
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12. |
- Workers - Question |
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13. |
James
Corrigan |
- Paddy Boy |
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14. |
Caroline
Carse |
- James Hume |
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15. |
- Paisley Crescent |
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16. |
Ian Munro |
- Milk Floats |
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17. |
John Tait |
- My Love of Horses - Wally and Ginger - Wally's Milk Run - Me and Ginger - Weekend Milk Run - St Mary's School - The Stables - Leaving School - Working in the Stables - Other Milk Runs - Visits to Ginger |
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18. |
Patrick
Lindsay |
- Ginger |
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19. |
Iain + Marion Purves |
- 'Whitson Mick' |
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20. |
- 'Whitson Mick' - 'Pal' |
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21. |
- 'Buddy' |
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22. |
- Jimmy Cole |
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Recollections 1. Bryan Gourlay Biggar, Lanarkshire, Scotland |
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Thank you to Bryan Gourlay for the following memories. Bryan wrote: |
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Priestfield "When I lived Priestfield, the St Cuthbert's milk horse and delivery man were best pals with every kid in the area. It was a grey horse that was totally in love with the milkman and vice versa. Needless to say the horse knew the milk round as well, if not better than, the delivery man - and followed him tirelessly up and down the streets with very few words or signals passing between them. Of course, they were out in all weathers and I recall the horse being fitted with special 'crampon-type' shoes to avoid it slipping on the snow and ice." |
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Bellevue "Years later, when I lived on the corner of McDonald Road and Bellevue Road, next to Broughton School, the St Cuthbert's milk horse got his food nose-bag right outside our door every morning The horse would wander his way slowly along the length of McDonald Road from Leith Walk, keeping a close eye on the milkman as he went in and out of the tenements. When the horse got to nose-bag territory, he froze on the spot, his hooves super-glued to the ground - totally immoveable, until the nose-bag was produced and its contents lovingly devoured. Then, and only then, could the horse be persuaded to resume the delivery round." |
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"Here are a couple of photos one of a dairy horse around 1900 and one of the St Cuthbert's farrier and Silver in 1985." c.1900. c.1985 Please click on the photos above to enlarge them. |
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Bryan Gourlay, Biggar, Lanarkshire, Scotland: May 15, 2006 |
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Recollections 2. Susan Fraser Luxembourg |
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Recollections - 2 Thank you to Susan Fraser who wrote: |
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My Grandfather "In his days at St. Cuthbert's co-op, Sean Connery delivered milk together with my maternal grandfather (now deceased), James Shedden of Oxgangs. I can remember when I stayed with my grandparents, my grandad often brought the horse's nose-bag home with him, though I can't tell you why. We were fascinated by it and liked to give apples for the horses during their deliveries. |
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Recollections 3. Kim Traynor Tollcross, Edinburgh |
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Thank you to Kim Traynor who wrote: |
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Horse-drawn Carts - 1985 "It’s marvellous to have captured the St Cuthbert’s milk carts as late as 1985. I knew of their continuing existence then but didn’t feel sufficiently moved at the time to think of recording the survivors." Roofed Cart "What’s interesting for me is that the cart I rode as a boy was roofed. One sat high up alongside the driver on a step-like structure. As a boy in the 1950s, one could fantasize that one was Dale Robertson on a Wells Fargo stagecoach. I loved the sound of the brake being applied when the handle was turned high up on the cart." Other Types of Cart "Are you aware of any photos of that type of cart?" Kim Traynor: Tollcross, Edinburgh: September 19+20, 2009. |
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Reply to Kim I don't know of any photos of the type of St Cuthbert's cart that Kim asks about. If you know of any, please email me, then I'll pass on your message to Kim. Thank you. - Peter Stubbs: September 19, 2009 |
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Answer to Recollections 3. Bryan Gourlay Biggar, Lanarkshire, Scotland |
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Thank you to Bryan Gourlay who replied to Kim Traynor's request in 3 above. |
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Bryan wrote: Roofed Carts "Like Kim Traynor, the St Cuthberts milk carts I remember best of all had a roof. I think it was only in their latter days that the roofs disappeared for some reason." Film Clip "The horses and milk carts can be seen very well on a Scottish Screen Archives 1967 film clip on the National Library of Scotland website." Bryan Gourlay, Biggar, Lanarkshire, Scotland: September 21, 2006 |
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Bryan added: "It will be interesting to see if anyone recognises the road the horse is travelling along at the beginning of the clip - or even the chap driving the cart and reversing it in the depot. Although the road looks familiar to me, I can’t quite place it." Bryan Gourlay, Biggar, Lanarkshire, Scotland: September 22, 2006 |
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Recollections 4. Ian Mycko Gilmerton, Edinburgh |
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Thank you to Ian Mycko who responded quickly to the comments above. |
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Ian wrote: Answer: Morningside Road "The street in the film is Morningside Road." Horses "I was part of the team that took over St Cuthbert's Milk. I had worked for Manchester-based co-op (CWS). My job was to organize the transport. This meant, sadly, that the horses had to go. All the horses went out on loan to as far away as Shetland. They went out on loan so that we could check that they were being looked after." Ian Mycko, Gilmerton, Edinburgh: September 23, 2009 |
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Recollections 5. Danny Callaghan Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland |
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Thank you to Danny Callaghan for telling me about his dad, uncle and other members of his family who worked at The Store. Speaking about the milk deliveries, Danny wrote: My Uncle "My dad's brother, Mike Callaghan started as a Cart Boy and went on to be a Store milkman with Saughton area as his patch. He loved his horses. One day, his horse and cart ran away and in the effort to stop the horse running into the Water of Leith he grabbed the reins and fell and the cart went right up his side. I remember him being in hospital for a considerable time and he was never able to go back to his milk round. One of my Uncle Mike's milk laddies was Tom Connery. My uncle signed off his first time sheet." Danny Callaghan, Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland: October 20, 2009 |
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Recollections 6. John Tait Craigmount, Edinburgh |
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Thank you to John Tait who wrote: |
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From Age Seven "I worked with the milk horses from the age of seven and know all about them. I also worked in the stables." Ginger "Ginger was the first milk horse that I worked with. The milkman was called John the Miner. After that, it was Jimmy Hume (Wally) Ginger had a great life after he finished with the milk. He ended his life at a children family park in Leven. He died at a good age of 35 years. I have such a good story to tell about how i taught him to beg and how i found out that he was in Fife." John Tait, Craigmount, Edinburgh: May 26, 2010 |
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More Memories and Some Photos Thank you to John Tait for writing again in December 2013, giving far more detail about the time when he worked with the milk horses, and for sending photos of himself with the milk horse, 'Ginger'. Please see Recollections 17 below. |
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Recollections 7. John Boal Edinburgh |
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Thank you to John Boal who wrote: |
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Gypsy "When i was 15, in 1968, I used to go every weekend to St Cuthbert's in the early morning in the hope of being chosen as a delivery helper. I became friends with Jimmy Small who was the driver doing the Stockbridge run. The horse was called Gypsy and he knew every start and stop on the delivery run." Stockbridge "Often, I would deliver the milk to 17A Danube Street and Dora would ask me to nip up to the shop for some messages, and she would give me a 10 bob tip. Jimmy, the driver, lived somewhere around The Inch in Edinburgh. I became friends with a guy who lived in Leslie Place who's mother had a 3 wheel disability car. When I told my mother I'd been in Stockbridge, she told me she was brought up in a single end house in Cheyne St. I just happened to deliver milk to the exact same house. I recently went on a walk there but the only thing left of the flat is the fireplace embedded on the wall of houses still standing. My German shepherd dog who recently died after 12 years with me was named Gypsy after the horse I worked with, back then. I used to hang about after we got back from deliveries so I could walk the horses back round to Grove St stables as I loved horses. These were great days." John Boal, Edinburgh: December 20, 2010 |
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Recollections 8. Danny Callaghan Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland |
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Thank you to Danny Callaghan who wrote: |
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'Whitson Mick' "Many have commented on the site about the store milkman in the Whitson area, my Uncle Mick, a man always with a smile. We have trawled through the family photos to find one of Mick with his beloved horse and we hit the jackpot. Guessing from the dress of the child, my uncles age would probably have been taken late-50s. Uncle Mick always wore his cap and great coat to keep out the weather and his 'milk bottle' glasses and of course the smile. No Gore-Tex protective work wear with fluorescent stripes in those days! Maybe you recognise yourself as the lucky child or know exactly where picture was taken and when. We would be interested to hear." Danny Callaghan, Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland: January 20, 2011 |
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Reply to Danny? Please email me if you'd like to send a reply to Danny. Then I'll pass your message to him. Thank you. Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: January 27, 2011 |
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Recollections 9. Jocelyn Ghani Livingston, West Lothian, Scotland |
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Thank you to Jocelyn Ghani for posting a message in the EdinPhoto guestbook. Jocelyn wrote: |
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Bellevue "How wonderful, I've just found a picture of the horse and cart that used to deliver our milk at Bellevue. I still remember patting him, and feeding him when I was a child. I bet he was completely spoiled. I've recently been telling my children about it and now I am looking forward to sharing this my family. A small glimpse of the end of an era."
Jocelyn Ghani, Livingston, West
Lothian, Scotland |
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Recollections 10. Jim Patience Alberta, Canada |
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Thank you to Jim Patience for adding a reply to Jocelyn Ghani's comments above in the EdinPhoto guest book. Jim wrote: |
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East Claremont Street "I worked in St. Cuthbert's on East Claremont Street from 1952 until 1956 and used to get a ride home to Jamaica Street on the co-op milk cart. Bert was the milkman's name." Jim Patience, Alberta, Canada: Message posted in EdinPhoto guest book: February 9, 2011 |
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Recollections 11. Danny Callaghan Alberta, Canada |
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Thank you to Danny Callaghan for sending this reply to Jim Patience's comments in 10 above. Danny wrote: |
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Broughton Point "Jim Patience mentions having worked at the store in East Claremont Street. I thought he might be interested in this photo that I took in November 2009. The store, at Broughton Point, has now become a fabric shop and restaurant. Previously, I believe it was a tool hire shop or similar. On the right-hand edge of the photo. you can see the St Cuthbert's crest on the end of the building - 'Established 1859'." Danny Callaghan, Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland. |
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Recollections 12. Val Innes |
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Val Innes wrote: |
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Workers Question "I'm trying to find contact details of anybody who worked at St Cuthbert's Dairy in the final days of the horse-drawn milk floats. I'd like to interview some of the employees and write about the dairy. Can anybody help me to get in touch with any of these workers?" Val Innes: August 29, 2011 |
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Reply to Val? If you'd like to send a reply to Val, please email me, then I'll pass on your message to her. Thank you. Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: September 1, 2011 |
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Recollections 13. James Corrigan Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia |
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Thank you to James Corrigan who wrote: |
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Paddy Boy "I was intrigued to see the photo of the Co-op milk delivery's on Gorgie Road. I was a van boy on the particular route. The horse's name was Paddy Boy. I also think there was a movie made about the same horse. I went on to join the London Police Band carrying the Kettle Drums." James Corrigan, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia: September 14, 2011 |
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Reply 14. Caroline Carse Edinburgh |
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Thank you to Caroline Carse who wrote: |
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James Hume "I saw this picture and thought I'd let you know that the milkman on the right was James Hume, originally from Balfour Street, Leith. He was my Mum’s cousin, my second cousin. Sadly, James died this year but I remember him well." Caroline Carse, Edinburgh: December 12, 2011 |
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Reply 15. Muriel Wilkinson Kendal, Cumbria, England |
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Thank you to Muriel Wilkinson who wrote: |
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Paisley Crescent "Thank you for the lovely pictures of the milk horses, one of my favourite Edinburgh childhood memories. The horse used to stop outside our house at Paisley Crescent, Willowbrae, and there was much jollity. It gave us some manure as well, to help the vegetable patch that we'd dug in the lawn during the war." Muriel Wilkinson, Kendal, Cumbria, England: March 21, 2012 |
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Reply 16. Ian Munro Kirkliston, Edinburgh |
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Thank you to Ian Munro who wrote: |
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Milk Floats "I can answer some of the question you have been asked about St Cuthbert's milk floats as I was employed in their workshops as an apprentice. From what I recall used Scammel chassis were sent to the mechanical workshops where reconditioned steering and axles were fitted. A new Perkins diesel engine was also fitted. The Cabin and body on the milk floats were made of wood by the coach building dept. This work was all carried out at St Cuthbert's transport dept. in Gardners Crescent, Edinburgh, supervised by the transport manager Archie Prentice." Ian Munro, Kirkliston, Edinburgh, March 11, 2013 |
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Reply 17. John Tait Craigmount, Edinburgh |
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Thank you to John Tait: - for telling me about the time when he worked with Ginger, one of the horses on the St Cuthbert's Co-op milk delivery rounds in Edinburgh, - for sending me the photos in this article. Please click on any of the photos below to enlarge them. John wrote: |
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My Love of Horses "My first memory of the milk horses was when I moved to Claremont Court, Broughton when I was about 9 years old. That was when my love of horses began." |
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Wally and Ginger "We had a few different milkmen and horses until Ginger came along. He was brought over from Ireland like most of the milk horses and was only 4 years old. The milkman then was Wally (Jimmy Hume)." Wally (Jimmy Hume) and John Tait with Ginger
© Reproduced with acknowledgement to John Tait |
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Wally's Milk Run "I started helping Wally. I would meet him at 6.30am at the start of his milk run, at Bellevue Crescent. and would work with him until 8.15am when I had to go to school. I was given 6d every morning for helping." |
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Me and Ginger "Here are three photos of me with Ginger. My friend, Kenny Stevenson, is with me in the 3rd photo below. I've not seen him for about 36 years."
© Reproduced with acknowledgement to John Tait
© Reproduced with acknowledgement to John Tait John Tait and Kenny Stevenson with Ginger
© Reproduced with acknowledgement to John Tait |
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Weekend Milk Run "On Saturdays and Sundays, I would get the bus at 5.05am to Fountainbridge and walk down to Grove Street to the stables to wait for Wally to pick up Ginger. We would then walk up to the dairy and get the milk cart, then down Lothian Road, along Princes Street and down to Bellevue. At that time, milk was delivered 7 days a week. Only on Christmas Day and New Year would we deliver double, the day before." |
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St Mary's School "I went to St Mary's York Lane school and would listen for Ginger coming along Albany Street on his way going back to the dairy." |
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The Stables "I was often in trouble for skipping school to be with the horses in the stables and would go there after school until the stables closed at 7pm. The gaffer then was Jock Johnston, his deputy was Jock Kemp and the blacksmith was Tam Eckford." |
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Leaving School "I left school at the age of 14½ and started work as a panel beater. That lasted about 9 months. Then I went on to do painting and decorating and, again, that did not last very long." |
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Working in the Stables "I must have been about 16 when I started working full-time with the milk, and when I became 18 years old, I was offered a job working in the stables. I would be picked up at my house at 3.30am and taken to the stables to start at 4 o' clock. I would feed, water and harness the horses ready for the milkmen who would come at around 6 o' clock. Here are a few photos of Ginger outside the blacksmith shop at the stables."
Ginger and John Tait
© Reproduced with acknowledgement to John Tait "I worked in the stables for about two years, then left and got married at 21 years old." |
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Other Milk Runs "Here is a photo of one of the other milkmen, Peter Gallagher with his horse, Skippy in Temple Park Crescent."
Peter Gallagher with his horse, Skippy
© Reproduced with acknowledgement to John Tait |
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Visits to Ginger' "I would go and see Ginger now and then, and would take my children to see him. Many years later, after the stables had closed, someone told me that Ginger was still alive and was living on a children's farm in Fife. I phoned about, and after a long time looking and asking questions, we discovered that he was in Leven. I found him one Saturday afternoon." Ginger on the farm at Leven, Fife with John Tait
© Reproduced with acknowledgement to John Tait "The farm was closed but the man there let me in to see him. again. He was then 34 years old but he still remembered who I was and snuggled into me. I showed the man how I taught Ginger to beg, and he still did it." Ginger on the farm at Leven, Fife with John Tait
© Reproduced with acknowledgement to John Tait "We visited Ginger 2 or 3 times, but when we went back in April this year, we were told that he had passed away. He had lived a long life. Twice, the Police had looked at him becoming a police horse, but that never happened. He was a great horse and a great character." |
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John Tait, Craigmount, Edinburgh: December 2013 |
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Reply 18. Patrick Lindsay Perth, Western Australia, Australia |
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After reading John Tait's 'Recollections 17' above, Patrick LIndsay wrote: |
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Ginger "I really enjoyed the photos and reading about John Tait and Ginger. When I was a youngster I lived in Logie Green Gardens. I remember being sent out, often, to bring home some of the droppings from the milk hoses in Logie Green Road. These St Cuthbert's horses were obviously well looked after (in Ginger's case at least). They could so easily have been maltreated. I wonder if John has the dates for these photos?" Patrick Lindsay, Perth, Western Australia, Australia: December 18, 2013 |
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Hi Patrick: I think that the first six of John's photos would probably have been taken around the mid-1970s, and the last two would probably have been taken within since about 2010. Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: December 19, 2013 |
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Reply 19. Iain + Marion Purves (née Fraser) Waterdown, Ontario, Canada |
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Thank you to Iain and Marion Purves for replying to Danny Callaghan's memories of Whitson Mick in Recollections 8 above. They wrote" |
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'Whitson Mick' 'Pal' "To the best of our knowledge 'Mick' was called 'Pal' when he delivered the milk to 6 Whitson Walk. This was in the early-1950s, perhaps about 1952. 'Pal' used to stop in for his breakfast every Sunday morning, whilst the horse nibbled on 'Jock' Fraser's hedge. The son of the house was Alan Fraser. He used to help 'Pal' on his rounds. One day, he fell under the cart's wheel breaking his arm. It's wonderful to see the picture and to experience all of the memories it evokes for so many of us." Iain + Marion Purves (née Fraser), Waterdown, Ontario, Canada: December 26, 2013 |
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Recollections 20. Danny Callaghan Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland |
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Thank you to Danny Callaghan for writing again to follow up: - his own comments in Recollections 8 above and - Ian & Marion Purves' comments in Recollections 19 above. Danny wrote: |
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'Whitson Mick' "I've just read Ian & Marion Purves' memories of Whitson Walk in their Recollections 19 above. It's lovely that my uncle is remembered by Ian & Marion. I have never known my uncle to be called 'Pal', but certainly that is what he used to call me. Also, his son (my cousin), now a very fit 81-year-old, still uses the name Pal occasionally." Danny Callaghan, Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland: January 20, 2011 |
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Recollections 21. Gail Flynn (née Johnstone) |
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Thank you to Gail Flynn who wrote: |
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'Buddy' "Do you remember 'Buddy', the fabulous black horse that loved Polos and ice poles? My Grandfather ran the stables for years, along with Kempy, Jock Johnstone. I was Gail Johnstone, and I almost lived in the Grove Street stables as a child. I lived in 66 Grove Street from 1963. I loved it when the Canadian Mounties came over for the Tattoo." Gail Flynn (née Johnstone): July 14, 2015 |
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Recollections 22. Lorraine Cole |
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Thank you to Lorraine Cole who wrote: |
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Jimmy Cole "I enjoyed the articles above on the St Cuthbert's milkmen and their horse and carts. My dad was one of them. He was one of the last. He retired in 1985. His name was James Cole, but everyone knew him as Jimmy. His round was Priestfield, Prestonfield and surrounding areas. His horses were named Nippy and Jip. Unfortunately I don't have many photos of those days but here are two:
© Reproduced with acknowledgement to Lorraine Cole
© Reproduced with acknowledgement to Lorraine Cole
Lorraine Cole: 13 July 2016 |
