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Longslow Dairy Limited

Longslow Dairy Ltd., was set up in 1933 by the late Mr Hugh Eardley, who farmed at Longslow House Farm, Longslow, Market Drayton, and who named his dairy after his farm. Mr Eardley continued to run the business until 1948 when it was bought by Mr. Harold Crewe, who ran it on his own account until 1956, when it was converted into a limited company. Mr. Crewe's active association with the business was continuous from 1948 until his retirement in the 1980's when his son Philip took over the reins.


In 1948 when Mr Crewe bought the business, it was selling approximately 180 gallons of raw, untreated milk per day on retail rounds. Distribution was by five horses and floats and one motor van, and employed five people. For the first six months or so of his ownership, Mr Crewe ran the business from Longslow House, but in September 1948 premises at 35 Stafford Street, Market Drayton were purchased and the business operated from there until 2000 when most of the operation moved to Colwyn Bay.

Pasteurising of milk commenced in 1951 and this led to a steady increase in daily processing, so that by 1955 this had reached 1,000 gallons per day. That quantity could not be handled in the premises then used, and a new and larger dairy was built in that year on part of the garden at 35 Stafford Street. Daily gallonage continued to increase, and by 1961 this had reached such a size that the dairy built in 1955 was no longer large enough, and it was necessary to enlarge the premises to twice its original size. In 1968 the company commenced the production of Sterilised Milk, and in doing so it entered a field which was, at the time, very largely the preserve of much bigger dairies. The company also separates and packs its own range of creams and polybottles.

Due to its own success and lack of space, the Stafford Street site has closed down. A depot remains in Maer Lane to cover local milk deliveries, laboratory, engineering, sales and office facilities. The processing and bottling have moved to Colwyn Bay. Milk collected from local farms by 'wagon and drag' tankers now goes direct to the dairy at Colwyn Bay.



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