Ramsden Wood Farm & The Oldest Milkman in Halifax

Dan's original photo and Harry Arthur Mellor,

"I'd love to find out about this old farm", my friend’s message said, and he sent me a photo of a large stone ruin. It was the first sunny weekend of the year, and he’d gone for a ramble up Mount Tabor with his flask (contents unknown). So I did some digging for him and he was surprised when I replied a couple of hours later with “There’s a fair chance the chap who lived there visited your house – many times!”

I discovered that the stone ruin used to be known as Ramsden Wood Farm, home to the dairy farming couple, Harry and Florence Mellor, during World War II. Harry was not only a dairy farmer but also a well-known milkman with a family history of delivering milk across Halifax for over a century.

He and Florence had been married nearly 50 years by this point, having tied the knot at Warley Church in 1893 and then raised two sons and a daughter.

Interestingly, they’d spent most of their married life at Windle Royd Farm, where Florence had been born and raised. Her mother ran Windle Royd Hand Laundry.

53°44'19.3"N 1°54'34.4"W - Google Maps

Georeferenced Maps - Full Screen - Map images - National Library of Scotland

The 1939 Register indicates there were actually two buildings at Ramsden Wood Farm – the main farmhouse occupied by Harry and Florence, and a small cottage where their son James lived with his wife Miriam and their nine-year-old daughter Jean.   

The 1939 Register was compiled on the eve of World War II. It was used to issue ID cards and ration books and later went on to form the basis of the NHS Register which was manually kept up to date until its digitisation in the 1980s. It was updated with women’s married names, in this case it shows Jean Mellor married twice, to a Mr Wolson and Mr Edmondson. Records of people who were born less than 100 years ago and/or may still be alive, have their information redacted (for privacy).

Harry worked right up to his 70th birthday, when he retired the Halifax Courier & Guardian hailed him ‘The oldest milkman in Halifax’. And even after all those years of hard work, he continued to help his son on the farm during his retirement.

He was 72 years old when he died in 1943. Florence celebrated her 80th birthday and then passed away shortly afterwards. She and Harry are buried together at Warley Cemetery where a headstone bears their names.

The Halifax Daily Courier & Guardian

Thursday February 11th 1943

Delivered Milk Over 60 Years in Halifax

A Pellon Golden Wedding

Mr and Mrs Harry Mellor, Ramsden Wood Farm, Pellon, Halifax, celebrate their golden wedding today. Mr Mellor, who has been farming all his working life, is now 72 years of age and though he has officially retired, he still does a good day’s work assisting his son on the farm and continues to enjoy good health.

  Starting work at an early age for his father at Wells Farm, Warley, he delivered milk in Halifax for over 60 years and continued to manage a big milk round until he was 70. At that time, he was the oldest milkman in Halifax. Before taking over Ramsden Wood Farm five years ago, he farmed Windle Royd Farm, Warley, for over 40 years.

  His family has delivered milk to some houses for over 100 years and the proposed new milk zoning scheme will cut many long-established connections. Mr Mellor thinks that the present time is the most difficult for milk production that he has ever experienced.

  Mrs. Mellor, who is 71 years of age, lived at Windle Royd Farm from the age of seven, up to the time she went to Ramsden Wood. Her mother, Mrs Bibby, formerly had the Windle Royd Hand Laundry. Mrs Mellor was at one time a member of the Mother’s Union at St John’s Church, Warley. She was not well last year, but her health has improved considerably recently.

  Mr and Mrs Mellow have two sons, one daughter and five grandchildren.

Harry and Florence's marriage reord, 1893

Warley Church - where Harry & Florence tied the knot

VETERAN HALIFAX MILKMAN

  The death occurred today of Mr. Harry Mellor, Ramsden Wood Farm, Pellon, Halifax, at the age of 72.

  Mr Mellor had been a farmer all his life and had been well known in Halifax, where he had been delivering milk for over 60 years. He started work for his father at Wells Farm, Warley, later took over Windle Royd Farm, Warley, where he farmed for over 40 years, and went to Ramsden Wood five years ago. When he retired – though he continued to assist his son on the farm – he was the oldest milkman in Halifax.

  Mr and Mrs Mellor celebrated their golden wedding in February this year. He leaves a widow, two sons and one daughter.

Harry & Florence's final resting place, Warley Cemetery

Delving further into the farm’s history, I discovered it was run by Robinson Bracewell and his wife, Emma during the 1890s. Their eldest son, Edmonson Bracewell eventually inherited it, and it looks like he was the one who sold it to Harry.

1891 Census

What I’ve not yet found is a photograph of the farm in its pre-ruin days. Or an explanation of when/how the farm came to be demolished.

So, if you’ve got any more information that’ll add to the story about Ramsden Wood Farm and its inhabitants, let me know and I’ll add it to this page! 😊  

And next time you’re passing by the ruins, give a thought to Harry who dedicated his life to making sure the people of Halifax were constantly equipped to make a nice cuppa!

A little video that gives us an idea of what life was like for veteran milkman, Harry

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Local history is always a work in progress :)