Merched y Llaeth - interview with Olive Marks and Myra Cleaver who worked as milk sampler testers in Carmarthenshire.

A conversation with Olive Marks and Myra Cleaver, who both worked as milk sample testers for the Ministry of Agriculture in Carmarthen 1957 - 1965.

 

They were testing for the milks keeping quality. The job involved visiting every farm / milk stand once every 6 weeks to take samples before the churns were collected by the lorry. This sample was taken back to the laboratory in Carmarthen for testing.

 

Myra is originally from Talley, then Penybont Llandeilo, Dryslwyn and after her Merched y llaeth job ran a milk dairy business in London for 10 years before returning to a grocery store in Whitland. Olive was raised in Llanfihangel ar Arth and trained in Trawscoed before working in Carmarthenshire. After her role at the Ministry Olive set up and ran a successful catering business from her farm.

 

There are photos of Olive at Trawscoed on this website #trawscoed

Myra and Olive spoke with Anthony Rees of the Carmarthenshire milk stand project.