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Arthur Beeley

Blind milkman

Arthur Beeley was a milkman in Bollington in the 1940s and 50s. He was notable for the fact that he was blind. He made his deliveries using a horse and cart. The milk was carried in churns. For delivery he transfered the milk to a smaller churn and then used one of two ladles to pour the milk into the customer’s jug. The ladles were a half and one pint. He guided the milk into the jug by pouring it down his finger!

Each year Bollington folk would mostly go away for Wakes week. But Arthur would remain to serve the folk who didn’t go away. Now, you’d expect the round to go much quicker with fewer folk to serve, but no, for the horse knew where to stop and would wait the full time for a delivery to be made, even where there was none this week, before moving on!

My thanks to David Biggar, raised in Bollington, now living in Bolton, for telling me this story.