Stories and information from the farm, family and ancestors of Joe & Bessie Cooper

Farm

Joe and Bessie went to Home Farm in 1920 and stayed there until 1960/1.  The first years at Home Farm were in partnership with Sir Joseph Radcliffe who was the landowner.  

Recognising the potential of Harrogate as a quality retail outlet, Joe decided to establish a tubercular free herd and to produce milk to a very high standard.  It seemed logical to enter the Yorkshire Agricultural Society clean milk competitions and attempt obtain the designations Grade A and Certified.  He won Gold medals in 1926 and 1927 and silver in 1928, he won the Challenge cup in 1926 and 1927.  The van shown in the picture above has a board on top publicising the medals proving the high quality of the milk.

Joe needed to sell his milk, the TT milk was more expensive to produce and therefore cost more.  So he gave the milk away to the local doctors, who (in those days) were able to recommend it to their patients.  If there was milk left unsold, Bessie made butter and I think that she also made cheese.

The business flourished and grew.  During the 1930s Joe took over more farms around Home Farm including The Ridge, Spa Bottom, Moorland and Duck Nest  farms.  There was a large staff some of whom lived in the hostel at Home Farm, during the war there were also Land Girls and Italian prisoners of war.  Coopers milk was delivered twice a day originally using horse and cart and later there was a fleet of vans.  Some deliveries to individual streets was often done on a tricycle.  They had 2 wheels at the front and one at the back and were heavy and difficult to steer as the weight was over the front wheels.  The picture shows Bob with a fully loaded tricycle.

Letters

There are a large number of letters and cards asking for milk to be delivered. The paper has a slight smell of wood smoke. I suppose that they have been in houses with open fires for a long time!

Letter from Spain

 Mr. Gerardo Fano

Tranby Croft, 2 Coppice Drive wishes to recommend J Coopers grade "A" milk for travelling.

On arriving at the above address the milk was still fresh enough to give to a delicate baby although it was 7 days old.  It was kept at a low temperature by having the ice box constantly renewed.

 Oct 10th 1926

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Milk was sent to other towns from Pannal Station so it was likely that milk could be sent to Batley.

22 Dec 1925

Mrs Simpson  would be obliged if Mr Cooper would bring a bottle of milk 3 times a week, the little girl does not like any other milk