Helen Rowe

Photographs and documents scanned from a scrapbook produced by P. F. Carter to provide a record of the development of the milk industry in West Wales 1928-1961.

P. F. Carter was appointed manager of the Retail Dairymen's Mutual Ltd. (based at the creamery at Carmarthen), in 1928. He started by visiting farms throughout West Wales and holding meetings for farmers at marts in order to obtain the milk for processing in local dairies, and then transporting it by train to the London market. The company rapidly expanded setting up creameries throughout the 3 counties - Carmarthenshire, Cardiganshire and Pembrokeshire. This was an important period of expansion for milk production in West Wales in which technical, health and educational developments had major impacts as well the requirements for milk during the Second World War. 

"The coming of the milk factories was the salvation of the dairy farmer. When we started the 'Mutual' in 1928 we were handling 180 gallons of milk a day. Now we handle 25,000 gallons daily, plus 10,000 gallons in the summer time when no fewer than 75 tanks convey milk daily from West Wales creameries to London and other large centres."  - P. F. Carter on his retirement in 1956.