Milk churn

Milk churns on a railway platform

A milk churn is a tall, conical or cylindrical container for the transportation of milk.[1] In North America, it is often referred to as a milk can.

History

Original type of churn for making butter

The usage of the word 'churn' was retained for describing these containers, although they were not themselves used for 'churning' butter. The milk churn was also known as the milk kit in the Yorkshire Dales. The 12-gallon steel churns were later replaced with 10-gallon aluminium alloy churns. Their lids had a small hole in its outer rim for tying the producers label on.[2][3]

Milk churn stands

Milk churn stand

In Britain, Ireland and other European countries, milk churns would be left by dairy farmers by the roadside on purpose-built platforms, or stands, at the right height to be loaded on to the dairy's cart or lorry. They fell out of use when milk began to be collected by tanker from the farm and ceased entirely by 1979. Some stands remain in the countryside as historical features, but most have been dismantled or left to decay.[4][5][6]

Gallery

References

  1. ^ "milk churn - Definition from Longman English Dictionary Online". Ldoceonline.com. Retrieved 2013-04-11.
  2. ^ Mike Smith. "Milk - Dairies and Creameries". Igg.org.uk. Retrieved 2013-04-11.
  3. ^ "Hansard, 10 July 1978". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). 10 July 1978. Retrieved 28 September 2016.
  4. ^ Council, Ceredigion County (2005-01-07). "Ceredigion County Council Museum Collection: Milk churn". Retrieved 27 September 2016. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  5. ^ Council, Ceredigion County (2005-02-25). "Ceredigion County Council Museum Collection: Milk churn stand". Retrieved 27 September 2016. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  6. ^ "People's Collection Wales: Milk churn collection". Retrieved 27 September 2016.
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