What was a 'cow keeper'?

[colin rutter]

In 1861 a g g grandfather of mine lived in Hammersmith and was described on the census as a 'cow keeper'. He must have died before 1871 as his widow is then described as a cow keeper, and her eldest daughter is described as a 'milk carrier.'

Does anyone know what being a cow keeper entailed? Did they own the cows or just look after them for someone else? Would they have 1, 2, 10 or dozens of cows? Would they buy feed or just put the cows out to graze? When would this 'profession' have died out in Hammersmith? When did milk delivery start?

They lived at 25 Waterloo Place, Hammersmith. Was that address among fields at the time?

Best regards,

Colin Rutter

[Guy Etchells]

In the past before the days of refrigeration, most foods were eaten fresh, this being so with milk.
Now the problem arises in how to ensure that milk is delivered fresh, the answer keep the cows locally. In the cities and large towns there would be numerous cow-keepers each owning one or two cows. The cows would be milked early in the morning then driven to a stretch of common land where they would graze during the day and be driven home in the afternoon in time for milking again.

The milk would be delivered in large churns (either by cart or by using two slung over the shoulders on a yolk). Customers would provide jugs for the milk to be ladled into then on to the next customer.
Cheers
Guy

[David Wilkins]

Hi Colin,

I think Guy has explained things very well, but what is of interest to me is that my GG Grandfather was also a cow keeper and later a dairyman at about the same time as your GG Grandfather 1861 onwards. He was located in Hendon which is not too far from Hammersmith so it is quite possible that they would have known each other. My G Grandfather and his brother were also involved with dairy as well as was my grandfather. Wouldn't it be interesting to know if they did actually know each other.

Regards from New Zealand

[Ken Boyce]

They lived at 25 Waterloo Place, Hammersmith. Was that address among fields at the time?

Best regards,

Colin Rutter[/QUOTE]

The 1862 Stanford Map just reaches out as far as Hammersmith do a Googlie to the online site and search (Ctrl+f) for sector (1,18) in the Index Do not search for Waterloo Place as you will just get lost in London

The map is a treasure

[Ken Boyce]

Hi Colin,

I think Guy has explained things very well, but what is of interest to me is that my GG Grandfather was also a cow keeper and later a dairyman at about the same time as your GG Grandfather 1861 onwards. He was located in Hendon which is not too far from Hammersmith so it is quite possible that they would have known each other. My G Grandfather and his brother were also involved with dairy as well as was my grandfather. Wouldn't it be interesting to know if they did actually know each other.

Regards from New Zealand

Hi David
It must seem strange that that I should be commenting on your note from the opposite pole but I think my flying time to London is shorter than yours!

Hendon is due north of Hammersmith ans is quite some distance apart (in 1860's) 2-3 hrs by horse or 2 days by cow. Are you confusing Brentford which is near Hammersmith with Brentwood which is near Hendon both of which appear in the Census of the times

Regards

[Beryl@uhouse]

Hello David,

My mother as a child in early 1900's in Liverpool had a bad fright in the middle of the first night living at a new address. She was awakened by clanking chains, she ran to her mother's bed.. Her father worked nights and her mother was a very nervous woman, they thought it was ghosts, and passed a sleepless night ! Next morning they discovered that the adjoining house included a cow shippon with chained cows. The cows never saw light of day when they were in milk, but when they ran dry they were sent back to the country, often to a relatives farm until they had their next calf. My mother said that they were called "flying herds" . Best wishes Beryl

[grandbob]

My family were cow keepers in Lambeth. It was just as you describe, but my great-aunt called it "the farm"! Some of them are buried in St.Mary's, Lambeth, just beside the Palace gate. It is now the Garden Museum.

[DianneH]

In research about my Wilkins family from Motcombe. Edward was described as a "dairyman and cow keeper" From an article in, Agricultural History Review 26 (1978), p100-7 "The Dorset Dairy System,By Pamela Horn and it described the system used in Dorset. Apparently the farmer hired out his herd to a dairyman rather than manage them himself, meaning the dairyman essentially rented each cow individually.
The article goes into great detail about the scheme. My Wilkins left Dorset in 1852 and came to Melbourne Victoria and finished up on the goldfields at Creswick.
DianneH