Spectrum 896. Carrying the can

Rights Information
Year
1996
Reference
21777
Media type
Audio
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Rights Information
Year
1996
Reference
21777
Media type
Audio
Duration
00:27:23
Credits
RNZ Collection
HOWAN, Roy, Interviewee
McAlpine, Alistair, Producer

When milkman Roy Howan retired at "60 odd" he hadn't had a holiday in 25 years. He'd been in milk for 50.

Back in 1916 when he first started carrying the cans house to house with his father and the horse, it wasn't bottles at the gate, you just bowled in through the back door, everyone knew you. And there'd always be cups of tea or sausages and eggs here and there and a free beer at the pub, you might drink 40 cups of tea in a round. Alistair McAlpine talks to Roy who relives a milkie's life on Wellington streets.

Roy recalls delivering milk in Newtown, Wellington in the 1920s, with a horse and cart on behalf of his father. He next went to deliver for the City Council, which had about 50 horses.
He would start work at 3am. He recalls a horse he had called Rangi, who would enjoy an ice-cream or a meat pie at the end of a round. Housewives used to race to get the horse manure for their vegetable gardens.
Roy's son Tony eventually joined him on the round. They recall the multiple cups of tea and breakfasts that were left out by customers for the milkman - and free beer with hotel deliveries.
He says on Christmas Day the milkie was showered with gifts - often beer or chocolates or cigarettes.

He says once he started working on contract, the gifts stopped. He became a contractor - and gave up his horse and cart for a truck around 1956.
Roy talks about the many dogs he had which used to accompany him on his round - and get a share in his breakfasts.