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Wacaden Dairy Wathes Cattell & Gurden Dairy

Serra was supposed to have a shelf life of 6 days but pass only 2 days. This of course was before everyone had fridges. Now I buy Long Life Milk from the supermarket and could have a litre carton open for more than a week.
 
We only had sterra milk at home when I was a child or perhaps a pint of Jersey as a treat occasionally.
When we used to go on holiday to Cornwall we had great difficulty in finding any! I didn't know then that it was a very Midland thing.
 
Wathes Cattell & Gurden Dairy in Woodbridge Road Moseley. I can remember collecting a carton of milk from that machine on a couple of occasions before shops started opening seven days a week.
 

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Hi Phil
Nice to hear from you again after all the abscence
Regarding those milk machines ,i think the first encounter i had was probaly one of the first machines
Sited around the area of kings heath from the dairy and that was situated out side that big news agents out side the front of the
Kings way pub kings heath and that shop then introduce a news paper machine automatic
put your coins in and get your news paper
the second one i encountered was at the cook shop bakers on springhill oppersite the coach and horse pub ,
but to be honest i dont think they lasted and survived the course they went out of fashion ,
Oh by the way phil i have been discussing you with a very good friend of mine and yours i beleive from the past
he his in fact my very close neibour when i mentionioned the kingsway
whom you would know from the past from the kings heath societyu , yes brian,,
kings way brian he as not had chance to do much at the moment with the kingsheath society for a long time as you would be
aware of it
but i have told him about us here and on and off in these last few weeks he had the opportunity to look in on us here on the BHF
 
Obviously when grocery shops started stopping open until all hours and even on a Sunday, the idea of vending anything by machine was over along with walking up to the local bakery for a loaf of bread on a Sunday night.
 
Hi Alan

I remember the newsagents to the front of the Kingsway Cinema well, though I have to say that I have no recollection of the milk machine or newspaper machine you describe. Though admittedly I didn't use the Kingsway Cinema a great deal and the only film I can remember seeing there was "The Robe" when it first came out in the 50's.

I also have to admit to not knowing Kingsway Brian that you mention, and neither do I know or have any affiliation with the Kings Heath Society, so perhaps you are thinking of someone else.
 
Wacaden milk came to our house in the 50's, they delivered with a horse and cart, and I helped our milkman on Saturdays. Paul
 
hi phil
these machine was out side the news agents in the late 50, early sixtys both of them
brian done alot on the kings heath forum he said the phil used the user name phil 47
but i will asked him againin the morning and he ued to be on the BhF as he recalls phil
brian was a member of the kings heath forum and he done alot of work on there for them
 
Alan

Yes my username used to be phil47, but I have no memory of a Brian, if as you say he was a member of this forum then I might have communicated with him in the past but in ten years I have communicated with a lot of members and I'm a lot sorry to say I don't remember them all. Though I do know I have no knowledge of the Kings Heath Forum or Society at least I can't remember if I ever knew it existed. So I would be interested in what your friend has to say.
 
Steri as we called it in Toxteth was not just a midland thing. I think it was widely available in most big towns. Definitely a bit "rough" to rely on steri but of course it didn't go off for yonks. Ordinary milk did but mum then used it to make the most delicious home made scones.
[Apols from a Scouser, mind you I've now been in Brum for 50 years]
 
My Mom, Ellen Louise Hadnet started work at Wacaden in their main dairy in c1927. as a Dairy Analist. She left them in 1930 when she married as they had some policy ,maybe not employing married women or that she was turning 21 and would be entitled to adult rate of pay.
She went to them during WW2 to see if she could get a job and was referred to a factory situated across the yard 4 or 5 floors up and came out as their cook. This was a place turning out munitions casing and she stayed until after the war.
This may have lead to her spending many years starting up several cafes ending up as manageress for Wimpy Bar when they came to Brum.
 
Wathes Cattell & Gurden Dairy in Woodbridge Road Moseley. I can remember collecting a carton of milk from that machine on a couple of occasions before shops started opening seven days a week.
Hi Phil, are you ok if I use this photo in the Moseley B13 Magazine this month? We have a regular feature written by Peter Streets about his recollections of Moseley in the 1950s as a young boy. His memory is incredible! The next instalment covers Woodbridge Road, down the High Street to King Edward Road and includes Wacaden Dairy. It would be great to illustrate it with this photo. Thanks
 
Hi Stitcher, I would love to use this image in the next Moseley B13 Magazine. We have a feature written by Peter Streets about his recollections of Moseley in the 1950s. He has an incredible memory! This month's recollections cover Woodbridge Road and include mention of Wacaden's dairy. This image would be a fabulous inclusion. Hope that's ok? Thanks Sophie (editor)
 
Hi Sophie

As I only collect photos from sources that do not claim copyright issues as far as I know therefore as far as I am concerned there is no issue, but I can never be sure of the copyright position of any of them. I always post images under the proviso that on proof of a copyright issue I will remove it without hesitation. In your case published to a magazine that would be hard to do, so its up to yo if you use it or nor but being as the image is not mine you will see its not my place to give permission.
 
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