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60
MILK SUPPLY.
DAIRIES, COWSHEDS AND MILKSHOPS.
No. of registered dairymen and retail purveyors of
milk (inclusive of 7 cowkeepers occupying 12
cowsheds) 101
No. of registered premises 128
There are four dairy farms in the district where milk is
bottled on the premises and sold retail, while at the remaining
farm the milk is sold wholesale.
Registered premises are under periodical supervision and
daring the year 15 samples of ungraded milk were examined.
Special attention has been directed to the requirements of
the Milk and Dairies Order, 1926, regarding cleanliness and
protection against contamination.
The main supply of milk for local consumption is obtained
from the multiple Dairy Companies' central depots whence it
is delivered in sealed bottles or cartons to their retail branch
shops ready for distribution.
There is one pasteurisation depot in the Borough licensed
and supervised by this Authority. This depot was opened in
November, 1930, to deal with 15,000 gallons of milk daily. At
that time the plant was capable of pasteurising 2,500 gallons
of milk per hour, and the number of bottles filled was in the
region of 100,000 per day, including 2,400 small bottles (1/3 pint)
for consumption in schools. There were two bottle washing
machines capable of dealing with 18,000 bottles per hour.
The depot then served 24 distributing dairies within a
radius of ten miles.
Since its establishment the premises have been enlarged
and many additions and improvements have been made to the
plant until it is now the largest pasteurisation plant in England,
and indeed the second largest in the world. 65,000
gallons of milk are now pasteurised daily at the rate of 4,000
gallons per hour, and this necessitates the filling of more than
half a million bottles per day, including 130,000 for school
consumption. Four up-to-date bottle washing machines are
in use and capable of dealing with 40,000 bottles per hour.