A History of Job's
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Loading bay at Hanworth Plant in the 1930's |
Part Three - The Expansion Years
For forty years Hanworth Plant stood on it's crossroads, with it's cheerful little concrete cows in the garden in front. Through the big plate-glass doors and the wide windows, the passer-by could see the stainless steel tanks and the bright, clean bottles shuffling along the conveyors, to be filled with pure, creamy milk. The 'Palace of Health' manned by it's white-robed attendants was on show to the outside world. This openness transmitted it's own message - Job's milk not only was better - it could be seen to be better.
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In it's own, rather different, not quite so artless, but equally definite way, the new dairy extension completed in 1977 said the same thing.
The Middlesex Chronicle published this report on Hanworth Plant's opening day back in 1931:-
"Milk arriving here from farms in Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Hampshire is pasteurised, cooled and bottled by means of the most up-to-date plant and then despatched to the firm's thirteen retail distributing branches in the Thames Valley district. The firm offer special terms to farmers to produce Grade A quality milk, which is brought to Hanworth by a fleet of fast lorries within an hour or so of milking".
At that time the 'fast lorries' were hired, but in 1933 the firm bought it's own fleet and ran all it's own transport thereafter. But it's function of course had changed. The Milk Marketing Board was set up in 1933 and gradually took over the collection of raw milk from the farms, with the 'fast lorries' merely distributing the 'bottled health' as it was ecstatically referred to, to the retail branches.
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Milk in sealed bottled and cartons is very much taken for granted today and it is easy to forget how comparatively recent an innovation it was. Job's did not actually start bottling it's milk at Teddington until the mid 1920's.
Douglas Roberts (seated) accompanied by his children Simon, Susan and Christian. |
Douglas Roberts
Former Managing Director & President of Jobs |
In 1934, Alan Roberts, Douglas's brother, joined the firm as assistant dairy manager, while their sister Christian - who was a great favourite with everyone - occupied a kind of unofficial position as personal assistant to her father. The family were, thus, closely involved with the business, and it remained firmly in their hands. The forth generation of Roberts, Douglas's son Simon, joined the firm in 1964 and became joint managing director with his uncle, Alan Roberts.
Charles Roberts, Alan's son, began learning his way round the firm when he joined in 1974, but left the company a few years later to seek pastures new.
The welfare of staff at Job's was always a primary concern of the Robert's family, a fact that is readily agreed by anyone who has ever worked for the company. Initiated by H. A. Job and passed down through the generations, The Roberts Foundation is a trust that is funded and administered by the family. It's primary function was and still is to assist members of staff and pensioners who found themselves in difficulties, making grants to widows of former members of staff, and giving hampers and other grants to pensioners at Christmas.
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The Foundation also supervises The Louisa Job Memorial Housing Association which still houses retired employees and company members in the purpose built flats at Twickenham, Middlesex. |
In addition, Job's Dairy Limited operated a non-contributory Pension Scheme which was set up in 1954 and achieved a fund of several million pounds. Staff and widow's pensions and also death benefits were (and still are) paid from this fund which is managed by Trustees with the expert help of professional advisers.
Add to the above the friendly, approachable nature of the Directors, the generous regular bonuses enjoyed by the staff, the free BUPA membership, the annual staff Gala Days, the free food hamper at Christmas and even the free pint of milk a day for every employee and it is easy to see why the annual Long Service Dinner functions were so well attended - hardly anyone ever left Job's!
Hanworth Plant looking resplendent following completion of extension works in 1977 |
The history of Job's is also chronicled in "The Better Milk Story" video. Click here to view
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