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Roundsman - Milkman, Coalman and Other Home-delivery Providers)

Vivienne14

Vivienne14

Kentish Brummie Moderator
Staff member
Many of our younger members may not remember ‘Roundsmen’. I think the bread roundsman has virtually disappeared. The milk (milkman) roundsman is just about hanging in there in places. Maybe we’ll see a return of more roundsmen one day ?

By the 1940s roundsmen could be found in charge of a horse driven vehicle or a motor vehicle. Viv.

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Source: British Newspaper Archive
 
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My Dad used to tell me of their milkman when he was a boy growing up in Saltley. While the milkman delivered milk to their house the horse would plod on to the next stop. It might be several houses on but the horse knew where to stop. The milkman walked up the road.
 
Just shows how close horse and roundsmen became. Must have been terribly sad to say goodbye to his faithful friend. The photo of the ‘milkie’ in the doorway is exactly like ours. One of the bricks inside the arch had our Co-op number pencilled on it for when we paid the bill. I think our payday must have been a Saturday as mum worked all other days. I notice a bottle of sterra on the step too. Viv.
 
Around here, bread is still delivered by what I suppose could be called a roundsman, although the horse has been replaced by mechanical horsepower. Householders leave a long thin bag on a hook outside, and the bread is left there to be taken in.
Andrew.
 
I've never heard the term 'Roundsman'.
In our house and where I lived it was either 'Milkman' or 'Breadman' .... :)
oldMohawk said:
I remember from my early days that we never had sandwiches in our house. In those days of rationing I use to eat a 'piece' which was usually a slice of bread cut from a National Loaf with a thin coating of jam, or dripping, and sometimes fish paste. I don't ever remember having sliced meat or spam on a piece. Often hungry and asking for a piece, I heard 'You'll have to wait because the breadman is late'. I think I only started using the word 'sandwich' in my teens. A couple of family pics below of a breadman in the 1950s.
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or the coalman the postman. the rentman. the gasman. the electricman.the waterboard man now they would be round persons.:grinning:
 
We called them milkman and breadman but they did a delivery round so easy to see why the general term "roundsman" was used.
 
Thinking back to childhood I don't remember meeting a 'Roundslady' or 'Milklady' or 'Breadlady' but later in my teens I remember a 'Milklady' in Combe Martin Devon. She was the daughter of the local dairy owner and drove a milk float delivering milk.
 
Our breadman used to carry a very large basket to the door, sometimes there would be a pack of Eccles cakes etc. to tempt the customers! We had them on a Friday, Dad's favourite!
The milkman's horse was Blackthorn. My husband used to help their breadman and liked the horse, it knew the way very well.
rosie.
 
on sundays in the 50s there was a roundsman that come around nechells selling cockles and whelks etc from a 3 wheel wicker trolly:yum
 
Hi
I started at the Co-op in Stechford ( Manor Road) in1962 as assistant roundsman (boy)
Always remember tunnocks caramel bars which were in our baskets along with other various
Items which were offered to customers as we knocked their doors, sliced loaves were 1 shilling and 2 pence a tin loaf 1 shilling don’t know why they were called tin! Always a lovely smell of fresh baked bread when the back of the van was opened ,Friday and Saturday were collection days for previous week deliveries I always helped the main roundsman collect the money all cash then,had a little book which I used to ask the householder for there Co-op Divi number !
Happy memories
Peter. (Divi number 296883 well me moms!,,)
 
hi peter nice memories of your roundsman days...long time ago i know but do you recall customers by the surname of davies or maddocks...

lyn
 
The term ‘Roundsman’ seems to still have been in use in the 1960s. This one was for refrigerated deliveries. Viv.E51E9B39-927F-4455-90DB-8A259304459F.jpeg
 
Peter44 said:
Hi
I started at the Co-op in Stechford ( Manor Road) in1962 as assistant roundsman (boy)
Always remember tunnocks caramel bars which were in our baskets along with other various
Items which were offered to customers as we knocked their doors, sliced loaves were 1 shilling and 2 pence a tin loaf 1 shilling don’t know why they were called tin! Always a lovely smell of fresh baked bread when the back of the van was opened ,Friday and Saturday were collection days for previous week deliveries I always helped the main roundsman collect the money all cash then,had a little book which I used to ask the householder for there Co-op Divi number !
Happy memories
Peter. (Divi number 296883 well me moms!,,)
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Tinned loads were baked in a tin and thus had sides, unlike the round loaves which were just baked on a flat surface
 
rosie that reminds me of the day my brother led the milkmans horse down the rd with a loaf of bread,the milkman and mom was not very happy:grinning:
 
during the 1920s on Thimble mill lane there was a dairy called, Gearings, has anyone ever heard of such a place.??
 
It's not uncommon for a trade to use different terms than those used by its customers, i.e. the trade employs 'roundsmen' and the public sees 'milkmen'. (Flight Assistants v Air Hostesses?).

Working for the 'Christmas Post' I discovered then that postmen had 'walks', they certainly weren't 'roundsmen'.
 
Thanks Pete. Not yet been able to find a dairy using that name. But someone might turn some information up.

This one is a beauty. A Co-op milkman and his horse decorated. Maybe it was a special occasion - possibly the Coronation as it’s dated 1953. The milkman has his record book in his pocket, is wearing his brown coat and the cart is loaded as usual (I think I can see long-necked sterra bottles on the cart). Viv.

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He looks very clean for a coalman. I can see sacks though with the rope handles. I used to be frightened of ours, the coal dust didn't settle in the "crowsfeet" round their eyes and it gave them a scary look! . They wore a sort of helmet with a flap on the neck.
rosie.
 
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