1980 Harry Floyd Recalls Dairy Farming

This report is listed in Social Snapshots 1969-2000 inc

click Harry Floyd for more about Harry

By Rosemary Mortham

Harry Floyd, the 3rd 'Floyd' to farm Floyds Farm, recalled his memories as a dairy farmer and other farming recollections to Rosemary Mortham

"Harry believes that his grandparents were probably one or the first to keep cows in Lacey Green. Before that the villagers would have had to collect their milk from Willott's Farm, Studridge Lane Speen. After going up the hairpin bend , this was the first turning on the left, and the farm was about half way along. Most people only made the journey once or twice a week. Stocken Farm had arable crops and cows for fattening. The only milking cows were for their own use. This was probably normal at that time. Milk was a by-product of the need to produce calves for beef, whereas today the problem of surplus calves, the result of the vast amount of milk produced, has led to the unfortunate need to export calves for the continental veal trade.

Milk was not used as a drink, except for small amounts in tea. If any milk was available it would be used in cooking something like a rice pudding. The milk on sale would not be what was known as 'new milk'. It would have stood for twenty-four hours and then the cream would have been skimmed off for butter making. It was this skimmed milk that was sold for one halfpenny (0.2p) a pint. Harry reckons it was a lot creamier than our present day 'silver top'. He was not aware of any cheese made locally.

George Hawes, who lived at Woodbyne Farm, was probably the first to deliver milk around the village. He kept his cows at Kingswood Farm, in Highwood Bottom. Twice a day they would be brought up Kiln Lane and along Main Road for milking. Foot and mouth disease was quite common, and during outbreaks, no cattle could be moved and his had to be kept at Woodbyne Farm in the farmyard. If a single cow became infected, the whole herd had to be slaughtered. Although some compensation was paid for each cow, this was a disaster for the farmer. No doubt, George was very much relieved when, in 1934, he was able to purchase an extra seven acres around Woodbyne Farm from the sale following the death of William Saunders of Stocken Farm, Harry's grandfather. This enabled him to keep his cows up there more easily when foot and mouth restrictions were in force.

The 1920s and 30s were a very bad time for farmers. It was around the time of the depression. Harry remembers that, in 1927, cattle that had been fattened all year could only be sold for less than they had been bought for! A farm workers wage ,which had risen from between 10 to 12 shillings (50-60) a week before the Great War to 50 shillings (£2.50) afterwards suddenly dropped to 30 shillings (£1.50). There was no overtime pay so there was no way to make up the loss. Men worked all the daylight hours. If they were lucky, they might get a few extra shillings at harvest time.

After Harry's grandfather, his father kept a few cows at Floyds Farm, probably only four or five, mainly to fatten the calves. In January 1939 Harry took over the farm. His father, William Frederick (Fred) died in July the same year. Harry kept on and increased the number of cattle. He bought various bits of land - two fields from Wathens at Lane Farm, Lacey Green and some from Miss Elin, Gracefield, Lacey Green. About this time he also sold land by the Village Hall to Mrs Bateman of Grymsdyke and some more in Church Lane to the Abel Smiths. He owned several properties, including Vine Cottage and cottages at Idle Corner. The total rent he got for all these mounted to 30 shillings a week. By the time he had paid the rates and carried out maintenance, he says he was out of pocket

Harry had a car, which he used extensively during the last war for taxi work but he also used it for his milk deliveries. His round extended from Slad Lane up to The Whip along the Main Road. However, most of the village milk deliveries were done by Harry Hawes, the son of George Hawes, of Woodbyne Farm using a small van.

The Milk Marketing Board as started in 1934/5 by the government. It bought milk at a guaranteed price from the larger dairy farmers and this helped to stabilise the price for the small producers like Harry.

Before milk was pasteurised, it sometimes caused diseases like tuberculosis and brucellosis. When Tuberculin Testing was introduced, all dairy cows had to be skin tested by visiting vets. All cattle having a positive reaction were slaughtered. Milk samples were also submitted to laboratories for TB and brucella tests. Such testing as particularly important on milk supplied to schools. It was government policy that all children should be given one third of a pint of milk per day In those days it was deemed necessary to supplement their diets with the essential vitamins and minerals contained in milk. About twenty years ago, this was discontinued as it was felt to be no longer needed.

When pasteurisation became common, legislation was laid down which required very strict hygiene measures. These made it uneconomic for the small supplier and so, around 1963, Harry gave up his milk round.

Harry finally retired from Floyds Farm in 1976.

At Stocken Farm things were much more mechanised. There they had had a milking machine from the early 1950s, whereas all Harry's milking was by hand. To cool his milk down, it was put in a churn and dropped down into the water tank on a rope!

It was difficult for Harry to believe that just one man can look after the milking of over a hundred cows nowadays.