A major chronicle of North East farming history is about to find a new home in the University of Aberdeen’s Historic Collections thanks to Dr Maitland Mackie, Chairman of Mackie’s of Scotland.
Dr Mackie explained: “The statutory Milk Marketing Board schemes were a big part of the UK’s milk industry form 1933 to 1992 when their statutory powers were rescinded.
“The minutes of the Aberdeen and District Milk Marketing Board are a splendid record of that period. There are 78 very fulsome tomes starting with the beautifully hand-written one of 1932 which covers the old Milk Agency, the voluntary precursor of the statutory Board.
“They chronicle wonderful early debates about joining the Scottish scheme or going it alone in the North East. And, of course, the “contermacious” North Easters chose to be independent - a typically Scottish trait for Scotland had three Boards to England’s one!”
The minutes are full of the North East’s dairy farming worthies of the last 60 years and record parts of their individual histories as a corollary to the 60-year development of our local dairying sector. The triumphs and traumas are all listed.
According to Dr Mackie, “A novelist historian would have great fun bringing it all alive again - the Argos, Robertsons, Wilsons, Mars, Wisely, Durnos, Marrs and Mackies. My father, the late Sir Maitland, was a long time Chairman of the Board. Much of his life was spent furthering the affairs of the Aberdeen & District Milk Marketing Board.
“Wiseman’s fell heir to these records when they bought Twinspires and the Aberdeen Milk Company. They were handed to me with the instruction to find them a good home. Bill Ferguson, recently retired Chairman of the Milk Company, and I are very happy to hand them over to the University of Aberdeen’s Historic Collections.”
Dr Alan Knox, Manager of the University’s Historic Collections, added: "These volumes are more than just an account of the North East milk industry. They are a mine of information for research on farming and social history, and an important record of a turbulent period of agricultural development. They are a valuable addition to the existing archive collections on Scottish land use and farming within our Special Libraries and Archives. We are delighted they are coming to the University".
The records will be handed over by Dr Mackie to Dr Knox on Thursday 28 September at 2.30pm at Mackie’s of Scotland, Westertown, Rothienorman. You are invited to send a reporter/photographer.
Further information from:
Angela Begg, Tel: 01224 272960
University Press Office on telephone +44 (0)1224-273778 or email a.ramsay@admin.abdn.ac.uk.