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In an impressive display of dedication, Paul Luke, a former milkman from Corringham, Essex has amassed a collection of 20,000 glass milk bottles, some of which date back to the 1850s. Luke, who started the collection when he was just six years old, said that he started collecting anything related to milk, from golden foil and plastic seals to photographs of milk floats. As he grew older and a growing number of organisations such as Essex Police and Kelloggs began to advertise on milk bottles, his collection grew. He also built a special shed in his garden just to house his growing collection.
As a child, Luke, who now works in Basildon, would help a local milk delivery man and was intrigued with the sense of community the job provided. He believes milk bottles are a significant part of social history, as they were reused countless times. He noted the significant amount of empty milk bottles delivered every day by milkmen to his home compared to full ones. He pointed out that incidences of low-level crime were less prevalent back then as there were always milkmen on the streets making the rounds.
Luke’s milk bottle collection has expanded with time, and now features, among other things, electric milk floats and plastic seals with messages written for the Christmas season. Even when he once edited Milk Bottle News, Luke still affirmed the fact that it was a “record of social history” and was proud to be collecting these fascinating artefacts to help preserve a piece of history.
Currently, Luke is running his own glass bottle delivery company in south Essex and has signed up 50 customers so far, offering an array of milkshakes, juices and smoothies. Unable to resist using his old-school milk float, Luke delivers these beverages on his days off from his day job as a dairy farmer. Alongside delivering the bottles, he makes sure to watch out for his community in the early hours when most people are still asleep. Luke is confident that there will still be plenty of interest in the milk delivery service as customers seek out nostalgic and locally sourced products.
Luke’s collection proves that what you may consider trash may be viewed as historic and valuable by someone else. He is determined to showcase the significant role played by milk bottles in the social history of Great Britain and encourages people to appreciate those milk bottles as more than just vessels for milk
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