An aspect of cowkeeping genealogy that can be intriguing and infuriating in equal measure, is the convention of using the same first name in each successive generation – usually, the eldest son being named after the father. It happened in my family (my son is a fifth generation Anthony Joy), but at least we differentiated with the middle name. That is not the case with the principal family featured in this article – the Hogg family. The Hoggs named their eldest son John - without a middle name - for at least four generations. To complicate matters further, these various John Hoggs were involved at different times in running the family businesses at the same addresses in and around Aigburth! These genealogical complexities have resulted in some elusive data being omitted from the article – if you can help in filling any gaps please do get in touch.
The following is an account of both the Hogg family and the Herd family, much of which is based on information provided by Janet Dalton and Angela Hallows; plus, some wonderful photos - thanks, to both.
The following is an account of both the Hogg family and the Herd family, much of which is based on information provided by Janet Dalton and Angela Hallows; plus, some wonderful photos - thanks, to both.
THE HOGG FAMILY
The Hogg family’s cowkeeping history begins with ROBERT ASCOUGH HOGG (1816-1879) and his wife ALICE HUTCHINSON (1826-1905), who farmed in Caldbergh, North Yorkshire. They had nine children, four of whom relocated to Liverpool to keep cows: John, Jane Ann, George and Thomas.
John Hogg (1848-1922)
John married Sarah Ann Brown (1847-1923) in Leyburn, in 1868, when he was just 19 years of age. To begin with they lived at John’s parents’ farm, where they had three children. However, by the time that their fourth child, James, was born, in 1874, they were living in Liverpool at 53 HAWKSTONE STREET. Sadly, James did not survive his first year, but John and Sarah went on to have a further eight children – all born in Liverpool.
So, their children were: Alice (b. 1868), Isabella (b. 1869); John (b. 1872); James (b. 1874); Sarah Jane (b. 1875); Eleanor (b. 1878); Ellen (b. 1879); Robert (b. 1880); Hobert (b. 1881); James (b. 1884); Annie (b. 1886); and, Mary (b.1888).
By the time of the 1881 census, John, Sarah and their family had moved to 3 BACK PARKFIELD ROAD, Aigburth, where they were keeping cows and operating a successful dairy business. Indeed, the family are recorded there in the next two censuses: 1891 and 1901. The business became known as PARKFIELD FARM.
The Hogg family’s cowkeeping history begins with ROBERT ASCOUGH HOGG (1816-1879) and his wife ALICE HUTCHINSON (1826-1905), who farmed in Caldbergh, North Yorkshire. They had nine children, four of whom relocated to Liverpool to keep cows: John, Jane Ann, George and Thomas.
John Hogg (1848-1922)
John married Sarah Ann Brown (1847-1923) in Leyburn, in 1868, when he was just 19 years of age. To begin with they lived at John’s parents’ farm, where they had three children. However, by the time that their fourth child, James, was born, in 1874, they were living in Liverpool at 53 HAWKSTONE STREET. Sadly, James did not survive his first year, but John and Sarah went on to have a further eight children – all born in Liverpool.
So, their children were: Alice (b. 1868), Isabella (b. 1869); John (b. 1872); James (b. 1874); Sarah Jane (b. 1875); Eleanor (b. 1878); Ellen (b. 1879); Robert (b. 1880); Hobert (b. 1881); James (b. 1884); Annie (b. 1886); and, Mary (b.1888).
By the time of the 1881 census, John, Sarah and their family had moved to 3 BACK PARKFIELD ROAD, Aigburth, where they were keeping cows and operating a successful dairy business. Indeed, the family are recorded there in the next two censuses: 1891 and 1901. The business became known as PARKFIELD FARM.
John and his sons, John and James, were regular exhibitors at the annual Christmas Cattle Show organised by the Liverpool & District Cowkeepers’ Association and they won many prizes. 1892 was a particularly successful year, with ‘J. Hogg’ not only taking first prize in the Fat Cow (not exceeding 14 cwts.) class, but also taking the special prize for best Canadian Dairy Cow in calf or milk (sponsored by Messrs. Sullivan and Co.) and picking up three other consolation prizes.
By the time of the 1911 census, John and Sarah had moved to JERICHO FARM, Jericho Lane, Aigburth and the dairy at 3 Back Parkfield Road was being run by their son, John. As they were both in their sixties, living with them, and helping to run the farm, was their recently-married daughter, Annie, with her husband, Martin Ireland Dugdale. Also present was their ten-year-old grandson John, the eldest son of John and Mary Hogg. The couple spent the rest of their days at Jericho Farm; John died in 1922 and Sarah a year later. But, their cowkeeping legacy was continued by a number of their children:
ALICE HOGG (1868-1954) married STEPHEN ROBINSON (1870-1949) in July 1894 at St John’s Methodist Church, Belvidere Road, Liverpool. Stephen was born in Bolton-by-Bowland, where his father, Robert Robinson, farmed at Far Gills. In 1901 they were living at JERICHO FARM, where Stephen was employed as a Farm foreman. Living with them were their children - Sarah (6), Elizabeth (5), Alice (4) – and also Alice’s younger brother, James Hogg (17).
By 1911, the family had vacated Jericho Farm - which had been taken on by Alice’s father, John Hogg – and had moved to 32 DAVID STREET. Stephen’s occupation is given as Cowkeeper. Their family had grown and now included: Sarah (16), Elizabeth (15), Alice (14), Elsie (8), Robert (4) and Lily (5). Their eldest daughter, Sarah, would eventually marry JOHN HERD.
By 1911, the family had vacated Jericho Farm - which had been taken on by Alice’s father, John Hogg – and had moved to 32 DAVID STREET. Stephen’s occupation is given as Cowkeeper. Their family had grown and now included: Sarah (16), Elizabeth (15), Alice (14), Elsie (8), Robert (4) and Lily (5). Their eldest daughter, Sarah, would eventually marry JOHN HERD.
JOHN HOGG (1872-1953) married MARY ELLIS (1877-1963) in May 1900. When John’s father relocated to Jericho Farm, John took over the running of the dairy at 3 BACK PARKFIELD ROAD. In 1911, the household consisted of John and Mary plus their children: James Frederick (9), Isobel (6), and Thomas Leslie (4). Additionally, John’s cousin, WILLIAM BROWN (24) was working there as a Cowman. Their eldest son, who was also christened John (10), was staying with his grandparents at Jericho Farm – he would eventually take over Parkfield Farm from his father.
When John passed away, in December 1953, he was living at 276 Brodie Avenue, Garston. His estate went to: John Hogg (Dairy Farmer), James Frederick Hogg (Dairyman) and Thomas Leslie Hogg (Dairy Farmer). The 1955 Kelly’s Directory lists the following under the trade ‘Dairymen’: James Frederick Hogg, 69 WOODCHURCH LANE; John Hogg, 3 LITTLE PARKFIELD ROAD; and, Thomas Leslie Hogg, 48 ALWYN STREET.
Their son, THOMAS LESLIE HOGG (1906-1989), married Margaret Iris Owen (1905-1990) in December 1937. Together, they kept cows at 48 Alwyn Street, Aigburth — a dairy, previously owned by John Herd. A more detailed account of the life and times of Thomas Leslie Hogg is given in a separate article on this website: 'Tomog (1906-1989) — Memoirs and Memories'.
Their son, JOHN HOGG (1900-1980), married Annie Balmer Capon (1905-1969) in 1926. They had eight children: John (b. 1927), Norman (b. 1929), Leslie (b. 1932), Andrea (b. 1934), Brian (b. 1936), William (b. 1940), Gloria Jean (b. 1942) and Susan (b. 1946). All five sons followed in the family tradition of cowkeeping, with WILLIAM HOGG eventually taking over the business at 3 LITTLE PARKFIELD ROAD. In 1954, LESLIE HOGG (b. 1932) married Georgina Rimmer and they set up home together at 99 South Mossley Hill Road. Leslie and his brother Brian opened a dairy at 23-25 BOOKER AVENUE, on the corner with Brockholme Road — L & B Hogg — though other siblings also worked there. Leslie’s daughter, Anna, born in 1970, has childhood memories of the family’s various dairies:
When John passed away, in December 1953, he was living at 276 Brodie Avenue, Garston. His estate went to: John Hogg (Dairy Farmer), James Frederick Hogg (Dairyman) and Thomas Leslie Hogg (Dairy Farmer). The 1955 Kelly’s Directory lists the following under the trade ‘Dairymen’: James Frederick Hogg, 69 WOODCHURCH LANE; John Hogg, 3 LITTLE PARKFIELD ROAD; and, Thomas Leslie Hogg, 48 ALWYN STREET.
Their son, THOMAS LESLIE HOGG (1906-1989), married Margaret Iris Owen (1905-1990) in December 1937. Together, they kept cows at 48 Alwyn Street, Aigburth — a dairy, previously owned by John Herd. A more detailed account of the life and times of Thomas Leslie Hogg is given in a separate article on this website: 'Tomog (1906-1989) — Memoirs and Memories'.
Their son, JOHN HOGG (1900-1980), married Annie Balmer Capon (1905-1969) in 1926. They had eight children: John (b. 1927), Norman (b. 1929), Leslie (b. 1932), Andrea (b. 1934), Brian (b. 1936), William (b. 1940), Gloria Jean (b. 1942) and Susan (b. 1946). All five sons followed in the family tradition of cowkeeping, with WILLIAM HOGG eventually taking over the business at 3 LITTLE PARKFIELD ROAD. In 1954, LESLIE HOGG (b. 1932) married Georgina Rimmer and they set up home together at 99 South Mossley Hill Road. Leslie and his brother Brian opened a dairy at 23-25 BOOKER AVENUE, on the corner with Brockholme Road — L & B Hogg — though other siblings also worked there. Leslie’s daughter, Anna, born in 1970, has childhood memories of the family’s various dairies:
“I am the daughter of Leslie Thomas Hogg, who was born 1st August 1932. My uncles were Tom, John, Jack, Norman, Brian and Bill. They are the sons of William John Hogg, my Granddad, who passed away in 1980. He was the son of the John Hogg who was the farmer at Jericho Lane. They also had premises in Little Parkfield Road, and then the Lark Lane shop was opened in about 1926. There was another shop near St Michael's school on the other side of Aigburth Road, owned by my Uncle Thomas and Uncle Norman. They were all involved at some point in the farm, shops and milk rounds.
My great granddad, I have been told, had started out the Hogg business with one cow and one horse (Dick) and would take churns of milk around the area of Aigburth and sell the milk to people on the doorstep. What I know of the cows is that they would be herded from Jericho Farm or from Parkfield Road to Sefton Park, where they would drink the water. Sometime later, when the farm had gone, the cows were moved to Parkfield Road. As a little girl in the 70s, I saw them there but only so many times. The cows I think had gone by the 80s but the pigs were still housed there for a while longer.
There was a milk bottle factory near the Rose of Mossley pub, where my dad up to the age of 19 would be bottling up the milk for distributing in and around the area. When my dad got fed up of this, he decided to expand the business further and opened his shop on Booker Avenue (L&B Hogg, Dairy). My mum use to say: "he’s not a milkman he’s a dairyman." She would always correct me as this was an important distinction. Dad had many boys work for him over the 50 years of the shop being opened. Clive, who I knew when I was about 2 years old up to about 5 years old, now lives out in Runcorn. Ralf, the herder for the cows and pigs for many years, now lives in New Zealand.
I was a little girl when we lived at 99 South Mossley Hill Road; my uncles Brian and Norman still live nearby. 23-25 Booker Avenue was where my dad's shop was. I think it was registered under Brockholme Road as this is where the milk would have been delivered and pulled into the back of the shop from the alley. I would help my dad on Sunday's sometimes to pull the milk in and go with him to deliver milk to shops. At that time the milk business was growing and Dad would hire people to work for him. He was having milk delivered by Unigate Dairies and, later on, also by Pickering Dairies.
When my dad's shop closed in 1988-89 it was hard for him. He was used to being up from 4-5 o’clock in the morning, going out to do his milk rounds every day of the week and would only get in at home about 7-8 o'clock in the evening; he’d done that for over 50 years. Also, from the time of being a small boy, he and his brothers and sisters were up working before they would go off to school. I have done some delivering of milk but was not good at it; bottles were cold in the hand on cold mornings.
I am so grateful to have some memories of what the Hogg family worked so hard to achieve. It's was an amazing way of life, and I hope we can keep their memories alive, along with those of the other farmers, cowkeepers and milkmen of Liverpool. It's such an old establishment, but is slowly disappearing, now carried on by my cousin, Steven. There is so much to the Hogg’s dairy history and I feel so proud to have been a part of a very hard-working family. I’m especially proud of my father.“
My great granddad, I have been told, had started out the Hogg business with one cow and one horse (Dick) and would take churns of milk around the area of Aigburth and sell the milk to people on the doorstep. What I know of the cows is that they would be herded from Jericho Farm or from Parkfield Road to Sefton Park, where they would drink the water. Sometime later, when the farm had gone, the cows were moved to Parkfield Road. As a little girl in the 70s, I saw them there but only so many times. The cows I think had gone by the 80s but the pigs were still housed there for a while longer.
There was a milk bottle factory near the Rose of Mossley pub, where my dad up to the age of 19 would be bottling up the milk for distributing in and around the area. When my dad got fed up of this, he decided to expand the business further and opened his shop on Booker Avenue (L&B Hogg, Dairy). My mum use to say: "he’s not a milkman he’s a dairyman." She would always correct me as this was an important distinction. Dad had many boys work for him over the 50 years of the shop being opened. Clive, who I knew when I was about 2 years old up to about 5 years old, now lives out in Runcorn. Ralf, the herder for the cows and pigs for many years, now lives in New Zealand.
I was a little girl when we lived at 99 South Mossley Hill Road; my uncles Brian and Norman still live nearby. 23-25 Booker Avenue was where my dad's shop was. I think it was registered under Brockholme Road as this is where the milk would have been delivered and pulled into the back of the shop from the alley. I would help my dad on Sunday's sometimes to pull the milk in and go with him to deliver milk to shops. At that time the milk business was growing and Dad would hire people to work for him. He was having milk delivered by Unigate Dairies and, later on, also by Pickering Dairies.
When my dad's shop closed in 1988-89 it was hard for him. He was used to being up from 4-5 o’clock in the morning, going out to do his milk rounds every day of the week and would only get in at home about 7-8 o'clock in the evening; he’d done that for over 50 years. Also, from the time of being a small boy, he and his brothers and sisters were up working before they would go off to school. I have done some delivering of milk but was not good at it; bottles were cold in the hand on cold mornings.
I am so grateful to have some memories of what the Hogg family worked so hard to achieve. It's was an amazing way of life, and I hope we can keep their memories alive, along with those of the other farmers, cowkeepers and milkmen of Liverpool. It's such an old establishment, but is slowly disappearing, now carried on by my cousin, Steven. There is so much to the Hogg’s dairy history and I feel so proud to have been a part of a very hard-working family. I’m especially proud of my father.“
Subsequent trade directories (1964 and 1974) list the family business as John Hogg & Sons at both 1a and 3 Little Parkfield Road. The property at 1a LITTLE PARKFIELD ROAD was further along, towards Lark Lane, and this served as a dairy shop for the family business. So, the cows were kept at number 3 (Parkfield Farm) and the milk was sold at number 1a (Parkfield Dairy).
Peter Ruane recalls his childhood in the late 1940s, spending time with his mate, Billy Hogg, playing and then working at Parkfield Farm:
“My friendship with Billy meant that I was a frequent visitor to his house, which was an integral part of the dairy. To me, that dairy was a world in itself — an adventure playground, full of activity, sights, sounds and smells! In one sense, it was Tardis-like because the width of the establishment from the outside was no clue to the spaciousness within. There was a stable for the dray horse (Dick), a special enclosure for the bull and a large pigsty. The most extensive part of the dairy-farm was a shippon that housed about 24 cows. Then there was the dairy itself, where milk was pasteurised, bottled and crated for delivery. Another room was for the washing of empty bottles and milk churns. A large rectangular brick enclosure (known as the midden) contained horse, pig and cow manure, which was distributed to nearby farms for use as fertiliser.
From the age of about nine, and when he was not at school, Billy was regarded as one of the workforce, and he recruited his pals to share the burden. The working day was of two parts. The first part began about 6am with work in the shippon that involved cleaning out, feeding the cattle and some milking. Then there was the arduous task of loading the dray with several dozen crates of milk (in pints, quarts and gills, plus various churns). The milk round took several hours to complete, and the large articulated dray had to be cleared of its crates of empty bottles on its return. Meanwhile, work continued in the dairy and the area for pigs etc. This first part of the day’s work was completed about 1.30pm, which began a sort of siesta time until about 4pm. After that, work resumed until about 6.30pm.”
ROBERT HOGG (1880-1929) married SARAH DAVIES (b. 1885) in October 1903. In 1911 they were keeping cows at 49 HAWKSTONE STREET. By then they had two children: Robert jnr. (6) and the newly-born Sarah jnr. When Robert died, in 1929, he was living at High Barn Farm, near Preston. His estate went to John Hogg (Cowkeeper).
JAMES HOGG (b.1884) married ANNIE HERD (b. 1886) in October 1908. Annie was one of eight children of EDMUND HERD and ANNIE PROUD. In 1911 they were living at 20 Briarwood Road in Aigburth, with their two young children: John Edmund (2) and six-month old Hilda. James’s occupation is given as ‘Farmer’s son working on farm’. This suggests that James was working for his father at nearby Jericho Farm. After his father died (1922) and his sister and her husband had moved to Woodend Farm (.c 1927), James took over the tenancy of JERICHO FARM and lived there with his wife, Annie, and their three children: John Edmund (Eddie), Hilda and James Leslie (Les). Eddie left Jericho Farm when he married Madeline Mawer, in April 1932, and set up a milk business in Hough Green, Widnes. Hilda became a nurse.
In 1939 JAMES LESLIE HOGG (Les) married Edna Stokes at All Hallows Church, Allerton. He bought a dairy at 48 WILLOWDALE ROAD, Walton. They kept about 40 cows there. In the early days they served the local area with milk using a horse and cart; later, they used handcarts, pulled by a regiment of schoolboys. In June 1942 they advertised in the local paper for a milk boy, paying 27/- 6d per week. This obviously didn’t attract the calibre of boy they were after as the advert reappeared four months later, offering 30/- per week! Edna ran the dairy shop whilst Les took great pride in showing his cows at the local shows – Formby, Liverpool Wavertree, Woolton and the Christmas Show.
Although Les relocated to Willowdale Road, he retained the tenancy on Jericho Farm and he and his cousin, Thomas Leslie Hogg, managed the farm between them. This was an arrangement that made sound business sense for all three of the Hogg family’s dairies (Willowdale Road, Little Parkfield Road and Alwyn Street) as it combined dairy farming with cowkeeping. The farm was used for maintaining the dairies’ milking herds and it provided grazing, especially for cows in calf or those that were still too young to give milk.
The dairies at both Little Parkfield Road and Alwyn Street were close enough to be able to herd their cows to Jericho Farm, and back again. During the summer months the cows from Alwyn Street dairy were herded along Bryanston Road, past St Michael’s-in-the Hamlet Church, across Fulwood Park Golf Course (closed in 1951) and then along a footpath beside the railway line until they reached the fields of Jericho Farm.
Valerie Forster, who lived as a child opposite the Alwyn Street dairy, remembers how the local children would shout, “The cows are coming! The cows are coming!” and then run out of the way. Valerie also recalls visits to Jericho Farm. “I went… with other children and we all slid down the hay. I don’t think Mr Hogg was as delighted as we were — I remember his face, but he never said anything.”
Les kept cows at Willowdale Road until the mid 1950s. After that, he bought-in milk from the Dairy Farmer’s Creamery in Kirkby, a co-operative, which he and seven other cowkeepers had founded. He is listed in the Kelly’s 1955 Directory as a ‘Dairyman’ at 48 Willowdale Road. He expanded his milk delivery business by renting buildings at Higher Lane Farm, Fazakerley. The council had acquired the farmland from Tom Rose for school playing fields, but the farm buildings were still useable and were relatively close to the new creamery in Kirkby.
Brian Williams’s father worked as a cowman at 48 Willowdale Road and Les offered him the opportunity to run the milk delivery business at Higher Lane. Brian recalls his childhood days spent at the farm:
“We moved into the farm in August 1957, I was 7 years old at the time and it was amazing especially as it was a lovely summer, the sun seemed to shine every day. It was the milk from the DFC that was delivered to the farm and my father delivered it to the customers. He had a horse and cart to do the first early morning delivery in the Norris Green area, setting off about 4.30am each day. In addition, once he had completed that round, by about 11.00am he'd return to the farm, have his breakfast and then load a van (a 15cwt Bedford van) and make deliveries in Walton and Fazakerley. There were also two handcart rounds in the Sparrow Hall area.
I was about 9 when I first started going out with my father to deliver milk with the horse and cart, usually because the person who was supposed to go with him hadn't turned up. The new horse, Prince, came from a lady who couldn't handle him; he wasn't a cart horse, he was a stallion! The horse had a mind of it's own and only my dad could control him. Prince had never been used to pull a cart before and the first time my dad put the horse between the shafts of the milk cart he took off across the farm yard attempting to jump a gate at the far side of the yard, smashing the cart shafts and numerous bottles of milk. I remember coming down Higher Lane towards the farm and my dad pulling on the horses reins shouting “Whoa, Prince, Whoa!” but Prince would only slow down to turn into the farm yard as and when he was ready — and Prince always did. He was a fabulous horse!”
Les’s switch from being a producer of his own milk, to being a retailer of someone else’s milk, reflects the changes that were taking place in the milk industry at that time — the days of the city cowkeeper were coming to an end.
The Hogg family hung on to Jericho Farm for as long as they could, but they were tenants, not owners and the farm’s fate was out of their hands. The lease was terminated in 1964. Angela Hallows recalls those final days:
“The family knew that eventually Jericho Farm would revert to Liverpool Corporation for playing fields, but Dad tried very hard to retain a part for farm use. I remember Bessie Braddock coming to the house in that cause, without success. He also tried to buy a small plot of land there to build a retirement bungalow, to keep a small link with family history, but again without success.”
In 1969, five years after the farm closed, Les Hogg and Tom Hogg both retired. Les and Edna moved to Great Salked in the Eden Valley, near Penrith.
ANNIE HOGG (1886-1958) married MARTIN IRELAND DUGDALE (1882-1953) in December 1910 at St Peter’s Methodist Church, High Park Street. Martin was the son of Joshua Dugdale (1854-1900) and Ann Ellen Ireland (1854-1937), who farmed 148 acres at Garsdale Foot, Garsdale. In 1901 he was working for cowkeeper ROBERT SCARR at 1a IVY LEIGH. Once married, Annie and Martin moved in with Annie’s parents to help run Jericho Farm. In 1924, they moved further south along Aigburth Road and farmed at WOODEND FARM, Grassendale, which they acquired from EDWARD KETTLEWELL (also from Sedbergh).
They had two sons: JOHN HOGG DUGDALE (1918-1980) and MARTIN VICTOR DUGDALE (1920-1939). Both sons became keen aviators as well as dairymen. There is a Martin Dugdale listed in the 1938 Kelly’s Directory as a ‘Dairyman’ living at 315 Brodie Avenue. Sadly, a year later, Martin was killed in a flying accident. John continued to live and work at Woodend Farm. He married in June 1938, but his first wife, Gladys Trembath, died three years later. In 1953 he married again – he and Mona Wihelmina Webber were joined in matrimony at Ireland Road Methodist Chapel, in Garston. 1953 was also the year that his father, Martin Ireland Dugdale, passed away. Although John is listed in the 1955 Kelly’s Directory as a ‘Dairyman’ at Woodend Farm, he had decided to switch from dairy to pig farming. He sold his milk round to William Smith, who had worked for John for many years as his Dairy Foreman. After his mother, Annie, died in 1958, John and Mona continued to run the farm. The probate record refers to John’s occupation as ‘Pig Farmer’. By then, everyone in Garston had come to refer to the property as ‘Dugdale’s Farm’, and continued to do so even after the farm was sold, in 1961.
Jane Ann Hogg (1850-1935)
Jane Ann Hogg married ROBERT LOFTHOUSE (1847-1915) on 7th April 1875 at St Michael’s-in-the-Hamlet Church. She was living in Vine Street and he in Lucerne Street. In 1871 Robert had been working as a cowman for his brother-in-law, GEORGE TATE at 4 MALTA STRRET. Their son, Robert jnr. was born in 1878. The census records from 1881 through to 1911 have them keeping cows at 18 LUCERNE STREET. In 1901 they were being visited by Jane Ann’s mother, Alice Hogg.
George Hogg (b. 1853)
George Hogg makes a brief appearance in the Liverpool cowkeeping records. In 1881 he was keeping cows at 8 VINE STREET and was being assisted by his sister, Mary.
Thomas Hogg (1856-1931)
On 16th September 1877, Thomas Hogg married Martha Barlow (of Aigburth Road) at St Michael’s-in-the-Hamlet Church. His occupation was given as ‘Gardener’ and his address simply as ‘Lark Lane’. However, by 1880 he was keeping cows at 7 PARK HILL ROAD, where an unfortunate incident was reported in the Liverpool Weekly Courier on 13th March:
FIRE IN PARKHILL ROAD.—Shortly before nine on Thursday night a fire occurred in a shippon belonging to Mr. Thomas Hogg, cowkeeper, 7 Parkhill-road. The brigade from Hatton-garden turned out, and the fire was extinguished in about half an hour. A quantity of hay and straw was burnt and the roof was destroyed. Some cows which were in the shippon were removed before any harm was done to them.
The 1881 census records Thomas still at 7 PARK HILL ROAD, along with his wife and 2-year-old daughter, Sarah Jane. The 1891 census then finds him living at 60 Bowring Street earning a living as a Farm Labourer. But, by 1901 he had moved out of the city and was farming at Mill Bridge Farm, Tarbock. When he died, in 1931, he was staying with his married daughter at 159 Upper Canning Street. His wife, Martha, outlived him by another ten years — she was in her 90th year when she passed away in June 1941, in Roby.
Jane Ann Hogg (1850-1935)
Jane Ann Hogg married ROBERT LOFTHOUSE (1847-1915) on 7th April 1875 at St Michael’s-in-the-Hamlet Church. She was living in Vine Street and he in Lucerne Street. In 1871 Robert had been working as a cowman for his brother-in-law, GEORGE TATE at 4 MALTA STRRET. Their son, Robert jnr. was born in 1878. The census records from 1881 through to 1911 have them keeping cows at 18 LUCERNE STREET. In 1901 they were being visited by Jane Ann’s mother, Alice Hogg.
George Hogg (b. 1853)
George Hogg makes a brief appearance in the Liverpool cowkeeping records. In 1881 he was keeping cows at 8 VINE STREET and was being assisted by his sister, Mary.
Thomas Hogg (1856-1931)
On 16th September 1877, Thomas Hogg married Martha Barlow (of Aigburth Road) at St Michael’s-in-the-Hamlet Church. His occupation was given as ‘Gardener’ and his address simply as ‘Lark Lane’. However, by 1880 he was keeping cows at 7 PARK HILL ROAD, where an unfortunate incident was reported in the Liverpool Weekly Courier on 13th March:
FIRE IN PARKHILL ROAD.—Shortly before nine on Thursday night a fire occurred in a shippon belonging to Mr. Thomas Hogg, cowkeeper, 7 Parkhill-road. The brigade from Hatton-garden turned out, and the fire was extinguished in about half an hour. A quantity of hay and straw was burnt and the roof was destroyed. Some cows which were in the shippon were removed before any harm was done to them.
The 1881 census records Thomas still at 7 PARK HILL ROAD, along with his wife and 2-year-old daughter, Sarah Jane. The 1891 census then finds him living at 60 Bowring Street earning a living as a Farm Labourer. But, by 1901 he had moved out of the city and was farming at Mill Bridge Farm, Tarbock. When he died, in 1931, he was staying with his married daughter at 159 Upper Canning Street. His wife, Martha, outlived him by another ten years — she was in her 90th year when she passed away in June 1941, in Roby.
48 Alwyn Street, Aigburth
The dairy at 48 Alwyn Street was situated at the end of a terraced block, on the corner of Alwyn Street and Bryanston Road. The shop fronted onto Alwyn Street, and the yard was accessed via gates from Bryanston Road. This dairy features in the family history of both the Hogg family and the Herd family.
The property has a lengthy provenance as a cowkeeping dairy, and previous occupiers included John Akrigg (1894 directory) and John Moore (1900 directory). By 1918 (directory) it was being run by Stephen Robinson and his wife Alice (nee Hogg). However, their daughter, Sarah, married John Herd, and the business soon passed to the young couple. John and Sarah then ran the dairy until John retired and the business was passed on again — this time to the recently married (1937) Thomas and Margaret Hogg. When Thomas Hogg retired, in 1969, the business was taken over by two of his nephews, Jack and Norman Hogg.
The dairy at 48 Alwyn Street was situated at the end of a terraced block, on the corner of Alwyn Street and Bryanston Road. The shop fronted onto Alwyn Street, and the yard was accessed via gates from Bryanston Road. This dairy features in the family history of both the Hogg family and the Herd family.
The property has a lengthy provenance as a cowkeeping dairy, and previous occupiers included John Akrigg (1894 directory) and John Moore (1900 directory). By 1918 (directory) it was being run by Stephen Robinson and his wife Alice (nee Hogg). However, their daughter, Sarah, married John Herd, and the business soon passed to the young couple. John and Sarah then ran the dairy until John retired and the business was passed on again — this time to the recently married (1937) Thomas and Margaret Hogg. When Thomas Hogg retired, in 1969, the business was taken over by two of his nephews, Jack and Norman Hogg.
THE HERD FAMILY
The Herd family is connected to the Hogg family through the marriage of JAMES HOGG and ANNIE HERD in 1908. Annie was one of eight children of EDMUND HERD (1844-1897) and ANNIE PROUD (1855-1934), who farmed at Howgill, near Sedbergh. The children were: Thomas Edward (b. 1876), William (b. 1878), Mary (b. 1880), Frederick (b. 1881), Annie (b. 1885), Jessie (b. 1886), Fanny (b. 1888) and John (b. 1890).
When Edmund died, in 1897, Annie relocated herself and her family to Liverpool and took over a dairy and shippon at 36/38 GRETA STREET. She is recorded at Greta Street in the censuses of 1901 and 1911, being assisted in running the business by a number of her children: William, Mary, Frederick, Jessie, Fanny and John. In 1914, when the Royal Lancashire Agricultural Show came to Liverpool, Annie's prowess as a cowkeeper was demonstrated when she claimed a First Prize (Dairy Cow under 11cwt.) and a Third Prize (Dairy Cow over 11cwt.). By 1925 she had moved to 309 AIGBURTH ROAD, part of the block of shops located opposite Jericho Lane. At that time, her daughter, Annie, would have been living at Jericho Farm with her husband, James Hogg. In 1929 her other three daughters - Mary, Fanny and Jessie – are recorded on the electoral register as living with her. She was still living there when she died, on 30th June 1934. The probate record refers to William Herd (retired Cowkeeper) and John Herd (Cowkeeper).
So, of her eight children, it appears that her daughters, Mary, Fanny and Jessie remained at home and helped Annie run the family dairy, whereas, Thomas Edward, William, Annie and John went on to set up their own cowkeeping businesses in the city.
Thomas Edward Herd (1876-1947)
Thomas married ETHEL STOCKDALE (d. 1954) in 1908, at St Matthew & St James Church, Mossley Hill. They opened a dairy and began keeping cows at 7 NEWTON STREET (1911). They had five children: Doris (1909-1978), Margaret (b. 1911), Thomas Edmund (1912-1997), Norman (1915-1959) and Maud (1917-1918). Thomas and Ethel were still living at Newton Street in 1934/5, but by 1938 they had moved to ALLERTON FARM, Allerton Road. The couple remained at Allerton Farm – Thomas Edward died in 1947 and Ethel in 1954 (address given as 163 Allerton Road).
NORMAN HERD continued the family’s cowkeeping tradition. Before taking over at Allerton Farm, he served his apprenticeship working for is uncle, John Herd, at 48 ALWYN STREET. He married Doris Smith at St Peter’s Church, Woolton, in 1941. They had two children: John (b. 1946) and William (b. 1952). Norman is listed in the 1955 Kelly’s Directory as a dairyman at ALLERTON FARM.
THE HERD FAMILY
The Herd family is connected to the Hogg family through the marriage of JAMES HOGG and ANNIE HERD in 1908. Annie was one of eight children of EDMUND HERD (1844-1897) and ANNIE PROUD (1855-1934), who farmed at Howgill, near Sedbergh. The children were: Thomas Edward (b. 1876), William (b. 1878), Mary (b. 1880), Frederick (b. 1881), Annie (b. 1885), Jessie (b. 1886), Fanny (b. 1888) and John (b. 1890).
When Edmund died, in 1897, Annie relocated herself and her family to Liverpool and took over a dairy and shippon at 36/38 GRETA STREET. She is recorded at Greta Street in the censuses of 1901 and 1911, being assisted in running the business by a number of her children: William, Mary, Frederick, Jessie, Fanny and John. In 1914, when the Royal Lancashire Agricultural Show came to Liverpool, Annie's prowess as a cowkeeper was demonstrated when she claimed a First Prize (Dairy Cow under 11cwt.) and a Third Prize (Dairy Cow over 11cwt.). By 1925 she had moved to 309 AIGBURTH ROAD, part of the block of shops located opposite Jericho Lane. At that time, her daughter, Annie, would have been living at Jericho Farm with her husband, James Hogg. In 1929 her other three daughters - Mary, Fanny and Jessie – are recorded on the electoral register as living with her. She was still living there when she died, on 30th June 1934. The probate record refers to William Herd (retired Cowkeeper) and John Herd (Cowkeeper).
So, of her eight children, it appears that her daughters, Mary, Fanny and Jessie remained at home and helped Annie run the family dairy, whereas, Thomas Edward, William, Annie and John went on to set up their own cowkeeping businesses in the city.
Thomas Edward Herd (1876-1947)
Thomas married ETHEL STOCKDALE (d. 1954) in 1908, at St Matthew & St James Church, Mossley Hill. They opened a dairy and began keeping cows at 7 NEWTON STREET (1911). They had five children: Doris (1909-1978), Margaret (b. 1911), Thomas Edmund (1912-1997), Norman (1915-1959) and Maud (1917-1918). Thomas and Ethel were still living at Newton Street in 1934/5, but by 1938 they had moved to ALLERTON FARM, Allerton Road. The couple remained at Allerton Farm – Thomas Edward died in 1947 and Ethel in 1954 (address given as 163 Allerton Road).
NORMAN HERD continued the family’s cowkeeping tradition. Before taking over at Allerton Farm, he served his apprenticeship working for is uncle, John Herd, at 48 ALWYN STREET. He married Doris Smith at St Peter’s Church, Woolton, in 1941. They had two children: John (b. 1946) and William (b. 1952). Norman is listed in the 1955 Kelly’s Directory as a dairyman at ALLERTON FARM.
Norman’s eldest son, John, recalls his early years, spent at Allerton Farm:
“My grandmother was Ethel Stockdale and I lived with her (and my mum and dad) at Allerton Farm Dairy. In 1954 my grandmother gave half the business to my father and half to his sisters, Peg and Doris. My dad bought the sisters’ share and they moved across the road to163 Allerton Road, a sweet and tobacconist shop. Grandma Herd [Ethel Stockdale] died two months after the move.
My father and mother worked the business until he died in 1959. My mother kept the business for two more years then sold it to Ed Thwaite, the son of Simon Thwaite. My mother bought a sweet shop opposite the Abbey cinema at Church Road and Wavertree Road. She died in 1964 and I sold the business. Peg and Doris adopted my brother William and me and we lived at 163 Allerton Road (their sweet shop).
My grandmother Ethel Stockdale had a sister Rose and a brother Jim. Jim Stockdale had a farm just outside Sedbergh. Rose Stockdale married Ted Harper and they had the dairy on Rose Lane, Allerton. They had a shippon and kept cows. The building is still there, intact, and their daughter Joan Fenney, still lives there.”
William Herd (1878-1955)
After his mother relocated to Aigburth Road, William continued with the dairy at 36 GRETA STREET. In 1931 the Royal Lancashire Agricultural Show was held in Liverpool and William won first prize for best dairy cow, most suitable for a town dairy, calved (under 11cwt.). In 1935, he retired and sold the business to RICHARD THWAITE. He moved to 30 Eldred Road, where he eventually died, in 1955. The probate record refers to William’s younger brother, JOHN HERD, whose occupation is given as ‘Retired Dairyman’.
Annie Herd (b.1884)
Annie married JAMES HOGG in October 1908. James took over the tenancy of Jericho Farm and lived there with Annie and their three children (see Hogg Family, above).
John Herd (b.1890)
John was working at his mother’s dairy at 36 GRETA STREET in 1911, but after he married SARAH ROBINSON (daughter of Alice Hogg), in 1916, he took over the dairy at 48 ALWYN STREET, Aigburth (1925/1930). He was at Alwyn Street in 1923, when he took a reserve prize at the Royal Lancashire Agricultural Show for his best Dairy Cow (calved, 11cwt and over). At the 1931 county show, he was up against his brother, William – John’s cow came third in its class, whereas William’s took first prize. The 1925 electoral register indicates that John is also associated with a diary at 98 ADMIRAL STREET and with his mother’s shop at 309 AIGBURTH ROAD. By 1939 (Register), John was a Retired Dairy Farmer, living at 38 Higher Road.