Gareths question about the milk vending machine outside Parr’s Toy Shop, this is what it I remember it looked like. They were used far and wide in the 60’s to distribute milk to the puplic. I came across this picture a while ago, it shows a machine of the same type as the one I remember in Abergele. You had three selection, Milk, Orange Juice and Strawberry flavoured milk. I guess they could be veried depending on the supplier of the service. This picture was taken in the North East but it serves to remind us of the one we had in Abergele. Maybe someone else has memories of it.
The milk machine looks the same as the one on Abergele Market St.
(At one time, I think it had one of those 50’s dome-top waste bins beside it, which had a chrome flap marked ‘PUSH’. When I was a kid, I thought it looked a bit like a Dalek, but post-Star Wars, R2D2 is a better description).
There was also a red Nestle vending machine (and a cigarette machine too?) wall-mounted on the corner of D L Morgans (Harp side).
The last thing I recall it stocking was Dairy Crunch, early 70’s? The days before late-opening shops…
Are you the brother of Daphne and do you remember Andy and Gillian Gordon?
Thanks for finding that pic David. That old Milk logo is great. Better to sell a healthy drink like milk like this than today’s cola and energy drink vending machines..
Ewan, thanks for adding your comment. Yes, I do remember vending machines by the Harp, against Morgan’s wall.
I can also remember a Wriggley’s Spearming Gum vending machine somewhere in town, but I can’t remember where.
Thank you for the comments. I too remember the vending machines by the Harp but can’t remember a chewing gum machine in Abergele. Does anyone else recollect its location ?
An amusing story about the milk vending machines. I worked in the Black Cat Amusements in Towyn durong the sixties and one day there was a lot of fuss outside. The lads all rushed out to see what was going on, we managed to get through the ever increasing crowd only to find an old woman, on her knees, with her hand trapped up inside the machine. She obvoiusly thought she could get the milk out for free but the dispensing slides closed trapping her hand. It took the police, fire brigade, a call to Griffiths’s farm and a couple of hours in the sunshine to get her free. Happy days !
I remember in 1974 getting milk from the machine in Towyn at 2am in the morning to make coffee whilst staying at my grandparents caravan on Fourways Camp on Gors Road with some mates from university. In earlier years as a little kid there was a Beechnut chewing gum vending machine on the wall of Fourways Stores shop on the corner of Sandbank Road which gave an extra packet every 4th vend. I spotted that the knob that was turned after putting in 2d to get the chewing gum had an arrow on it which if pointing directly upwards gave the extra packet next vend. So I used to hang around watching until the time was right to get the bonus.
Used to stop on millers cottage Towyn wen i wer little…used to empty the machine every day for the week ov my holiday.loved the strawberry milkshake. .happy days
I recall a milk machine like this in Towyn. As a kid in the 70’s I was fascinated by it. We spent every years holiday at Palin’s Caravan Park. I recall walking through Towyn and seeing this machine, en route to the Black Cat and Oldham’s Cafe. My memory has it located outside Happy Days / Winkups. Some time later I have a memory of it moving to the corner of Sandbank Road. I have some amazing memories of Towyn. I still return there now with my kids. Every visit, for some reason I always recall the milk machine.
does any body remember the chip vending machine outside wendy parr.s shop