The last milk deliveries by horse and dray in Burton can easily be pinpointed – to an exact day. On Saturday, September 9, 1967 Thomas George Weston celebrated his 65th birthday and retired as a milkman.

But this was no ordinary birthday – as Mr Weston was no ordinary milkman. For he had delivered milk via horse and cart for 30 years.

He was certainly the last milkman in the area to operate from a dray and was probably one of the last, if not the last, in the country. From that Sunday, Tom’s round was taken over by his son-in-law and daughter, Michael and Valerie Lydon.

Customers on his former round covering Anslow, Outwoods, Horninglow, Shobnall and Henhurst Hill would be made from the back of a gleaming new van. Many of Mr Weston’s 220 customers wished him well – with many giving his horse, named Rusty, a sugar lump or apple.

Speaking on the day of his retirement in 1967, Mr Weston, of Sunset House, Anslow, said: “I'm sorry to give up the round but now my wife and I are looking forward to having a nice holiday and I think the horses have earned their retirement, too."

Mrs Weston often accompanied her husband on his 12-mile round. During their 30-year career, the couple had used four horses and three were still with the family.

Mr Weston said: "Our first horse was Jenny and we had her for about 15 years but she is dead now. Then we had Bob, who is now retired but still with us and he is about 30 years old. We then have two horses which take it in turns to take out the milk float – they are Peggy, who we have had for 16 years, and Rusty, who we bought to replace Bob.”

All Mr Weston's horses knew the route from memory. They pulled up outside each house needing a delivery without being asked to stop.

Mr Weston was a blacksmith by trade and so was able to shoe and care for his horses. The couple hoped to spend time on holiday as they had not had a holiday for 30 years since their honeymoon.

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