The Death of Dr Lush

Doctor John Lush along with his brother, Harry, were for many years local Doctors. This obituary is for Doctor John Lush who died in Cirencester in 1933.

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The Milk Producer

 

Our local people – and these days those from all round the world, have been absolute wonders at finding and saving documents of interest. That will be why we have some extracts from the journal of the Milk Marketing Board – a journal known as ‘The Milk Producer’.

Our extracts date from 1968 but refer to an item from much earlier.

In fact it dates back to 1933

A 1933 letter about milk prices from the West Park Dairy

It is a letter from the West Park Dairy company telling a supplier that the price for milk is being cut to 4d (less than 2p) per gallon and that it will probably have to drop even more.

West Park farm, the registered headquarters of the company was and still is, of course in Market Lavington and remains a dairy farm.

Two months after this old letter was published, a letter came in from the then owner of West Park Farm.

A 1968 response to the 1933 letter

So now we get a 1968 milk price, for the producer of around 3/3 per gallon. That’s about 16p in decimal currency or more than 8 times the price given in 1933.

We think the current price is about 33p per litre which is about £1.50 per gallon.

The Ladies Jazz Band

Lavington Ladies Jazz Band was a carnival creation. In the 1930s a group of local ladies formed up, many with unlikely instruments, and entered carnivals. In 1933 they won first prize at Devizes.

Lavington Ladies Jazz band in 1933

We see them on parade here in Market Lavington – the Market Place and they have attracted a goodly audience.

It’s a sad fact that in fancy dress and with instruments in front the ‘performers’ are hard to recognise. Maybe it is more sad that one of the ladies is always recognised. Mrs Hurkett stands next to the bass drum at the back. She was without teeth and this gives her a distinctive look.

We always hope that a blog post will bring information to us. Do get in touch if you can name any of the players – or the audience.

Post-box terms and conditions

In 1933 Mrs Hawes owned Wayside Cottage, on the junction of Drove Lane and Kings Road. It had (and still has) a post box built into the wall.

It would seem that Mrs Hawes wanted to know the conditions attached to having a post-box built into a house. We can imagine – indeed we did imagine – that the Post Office might pay a small rental for the site. Perhaps Mrs Hawes thought this too. We do not have her letter, but we do have the reply sent to her.

It came in an official looking envelope.

And here is that reply.

1933 letter regarding the post-box at Wayside Cottage, Kings Road, Market Lavington

So there we have it. There’s no rent, but if you want it removed we’ll do it and make good the wall.

The letter box is still in place.

We are pleased to say that the box is still in place – having now been there for over 100 years. Long may it remain.