People: Meet the Calderdale dairy farming family who have been delivering milk for 100 years

Now – 100 years later - H Southwell and Son are the biggest milk wholesalers in Halifax.

They rear all their own dairy cows and milk over 100 on a daily basis.

All the family are involved, from grandparents Stephen and Bronwyn Kershaw, to the youngest member - six-year-old Hugo.

“We as a family run the farm together with our small team - we all have a role to play in keeping the farm going,” said Stephen and Bronwyn’s eldest granddaughter, Harriett Sykes.

The business at Shroggs Farm was started by Herbert and Sarah Southwell in 1923.

They began by buying cows gradually – in those days having 10 cows was considered very successful – and slowly grew the firm.

Their son Thomas worked with his dad Herbert and they delivered churns of milk by horse and cart.

They delivered twice a day – once in the morning and once in the evening - as people did not have fridges back then.

When Thomas grew up, he met Doris Chatburn. She started helping with delivering milk and the pair had a daughter, Bronwyn, in 1948.

Little Bronwyn used to sit in the milk cart and, when she was older, joined the family business.

Bronwyn met Stephen Kershaw after he came up for haymaking one day, and they got married in 1973 and had a little girl, Sarah Kershaw.

Thomas and Stephen enjoyed showing cattle at shows in Halifax and beyond, and Thomas was also a very well known cattle judge.

The family now take delivery of their milk on a 26-tonne wagon every day.

The firm used to bottle all of its milk to deliver but as times have moved on and because of bigger milk distributors, it now has its milk packaged at Dales Dairies in Skipton.

“The focus has moved away from doorstep deliveries, and more on to shops, supermarkets, and hospitality businesses,” said Harriett.

"The farm remains family-run, with my grandad, Stephen Kershaw, and grandma, Bronwyn Kershaw, at the top of the farm’s family tree.

"Next is my mum and dad, Chris and Sarah Sykes. Then there is me - their eldest daughter Harriett, 20, and my two younger brothers – Reuben, 17, and Hugo, 6.

"We also have four other family friends who work for us part time - rugby league legend for Bradford Bulls and Great Britain, Karl Fairbank; father ad son Ian and Liam Dodson, and Leon Parrat.

"My grandad delivers our products into Hebden Bridge, Todmorden, Walsden and Cornholme,” said Harriett.

"He mainly delivers to cafes, restaurants and shops.

"My grandma has recently retired from her doorstep round, delivering in Luddendenfoot and Sowerby Bridge, which she did for 60 years. She now has a small round locally where she delivers to offices, cafes and shops.

"My parents have their own milk rounds. They deliver to most shops, cafes, restaurants, offices and the hospital in Halifax, with my Dad also delivering to parts of Bradford.

"On the farm at home, my brother Reuben looks after the cows and also works on the machinery we have, doing field work etc.

"He is also is an apprentice at Bob Wild Farming Machinery in Mytholmroyd.

"My role on the farm is being in charge of the stock and loading the milk into the vans for every delivery.

"My little brother Hugo helps with feeding the calves and milking the cows.

"We understand the struggles farmers have faced over these recent years and we believe that our close and trusted network is what has pulled us through these ever-going challenges.

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our loyal customers for sticking by us over the years. We are very grateful."