Torridge Vale - Products & History

Looking back over the years, Torridge Vale manufactured several products

and "invented" some new ones some of which are still marketed today.
Listed here are just some that I recall. 

I include some photos of historic documents kindly provided by the descendants of Robert Sandford at a lecture about the history of the dairy given by ex-employee Antony Jefferies at Torrington Methodist church last December, 2023. 

The lecture was almost a Full-House with nearly 70 in attendance.

Antony Jefferies
Butter Production manager during the 1980's
(photo: Bob Friendship)

Sid (Walter) discusses my Blog with
Graham "Dingdong" Bell. (Ex-Manufacturing. Lab)
Arthur (Weston), Roy Allan & his wife came too.

Descendants of Robert Sandford.
(photo: Bob Friendship)

Robert Sandford - founder of the dairy.

All the above reproductions by kind permission of the descendants of Robert Sandford.

Because of the huge throughput of the raw material, there were times when milk was transported out to other dairies, London and the Home Counties, Chard in Somerset and to Wood Lane in London for bottling. This was most usually done during the summer when milk produced by farmers was at its peak.

Bulk butter cream was sent out by road at special times of the year, Christmas being the most usual.

Butter (of course) At it's peak in the late 70's excess bulk butter went to "Intervention" which later became known as "Butter Mountains."

- part of the new scheme introduced by membership of the "Common Market".

Butter was also produced in various shapes and sized packs for the catering industry.

Refer to Derek Skinners page to see some of the moulds created for special products.

Milk powder, both in sacks and plastic bottles ( Miracle)

There were four powder plants at Torrington:

Scott Spray,

Roller Powder,

Anhydro

Stork 

(the last installation which was housed in the tall prefab building - now demolished)

All plants could produce either skimmed or full fat powder using different processes.

The bulk of powder production used skimmed milk.

Sweetened, Condensed Milk - tho' this stopped in the mid to late 1960's.

Concentrated, Evaporated Milk. 

Double Devon whipping cream, sold in heat-treated bottles.

Clotted cream, produced in steam heated scalding trays.

Products created by the company included:

Clover - a butter based product sold in tubs.

Miracle powder with added Vitamin A (Carotene)  

U.H.T milk and cream in individual cartons for the airlines and catering industry.