THE MILK BOTTLE MUSEUM
Malvern, Worcestershire

STEVE WHEELER

Steve Wheeler's 'Milk Bottle Museum' Select the thumbnails for a larger image

A few days ago we received an e-mail from Steve Wheeler who lives in Malvern, Worcestershire, asking if anyone had any old milk bottles.

Steve has been collecting milk bottles for some 20-25 years and so many have been donated to him that he has become the ‘custodian’ of some dairymen’s last bottles. His dream is to have the ‘National Trust’ or some similar body open up a ‘National Milk Bottle Museum’

Steve’s collection of milk bottles now stands at over an amazing 15,000 bottles and as can be seen from the photographs, they make an astonishing sight! He is desperate to get as many bottles as possible before they are all thrown away. With the old farms and dairies vanishing, so their milk bottles are vanishing with them.

Steve’s collection has featured everywhere from BBC, ITV, Channel 4s Collectors Lot and S4C (botrli llaeth Cymru!) They have also appeared in many playhouses and plays from Birmingham to Bolton and from Derby to London and his claim to fame is to have some of his milk bottles in the film ‘Great Balls of Fire’…although only for a seven-second spot!

Steve says "I probably have more milk bottles from Yorkshire than anywhere else and I’ve given many a Yorkshire farmer a good laugh when he finds out what I’ve called in for."

A close-up of some of Steve's collection

The milk bottle collection is open to public viewing but only on a pre-arranged basis as due to it being a personal hobby Steve has no Public Liability Insurance etc. For that reason, and with all that glass around, children cannot be admitted into the museum. If anyone is ever down in that part of Worcestershire and would be interested in visiting the collection, then drop us a line and we will put you in touch with Steve.

Why not take a good look around your homes, attics and gardens and see if you have any old milk bottles with early advertising circa the 1930s to 1960s. If you come across anything you think would be of interest to Steve then drop us a line at The Digest and we will pass on your information to him.

I am sure that as one of the countries leading areas for glass bottle production over the last century, the people of Knottingley and Ferrybridge must surely be able to make their mark on the ‘Milk Bottle Museum’ collection.