Steve Hayden, a 68-year-old milkman who has delivered to Wanstead homes since 1984, says his trade is making a "slight comeback" after he was awarded the Freedom of the City of London earlier this year.
Hayden, who left his Tottenham home at around 3am to serve up to 600 customers four miles away, was joined by The Express on his round. He has been placing milk on doorsteps since 1984, initially doing so after school and during holidays.
A routine without an alarm clock
"You just get into a pattern," Hayden said. "I don't even use an alarm clock now. I just wake up. Sometimes I wake up a bit too early, and then I think, 'Oh, well I'm up now. I might as well stay up.' It's no tricks. I just get up. I am so used to it."
Refusing to use a tablet, he mainly goes by memory but still writes a daily list of houses to visit using a pen and pad, occasionally checking it.
Customers over the years have included former Spurs manager Martin Jol and player Jermain Defoe, cricketer Phil Tufnell, Blue singer Simon Webbe, EastEnders star Patsy Palmer and Andrea Lowe. They can also buy cheese, bacon, sausages, tea bags, cat food, coffee and compost.
Community guardian and safeguard
Hayden has twice called police with safeguarding concerns for elderly ladies in their homes after noticing something was amiss. One was 93 years old and lived until she was 101.
"One of them, she was having milk three days a week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and I went there on the Friday and Wednesday's milk was still out there," he recalled. "So I thought, 'I can't leave it.'" He knocked on a neighbour's door, who had a key, and they found the woman unconscious on her sofa in her night clothes. She had been there for two days.
Sadly, he is the only person some of his customers talk to during the day. "I'll speak to anybody but those ones who are there on their own, I spend a bit more time with them," he said.
"Everybody knows everybody; everybody helps everybody out, and they've classed me as part of the community, which is great," he added. "Older people die or downsize, then you've got the younger people come in. It just seems the same. It doesn't change."
A changing trade
Hayden has witnessed burglars being chased by police, seen a bird of prey carry a pigeon to its death, and once returned to his float to find a woman hiding in it. She implored him to remain quiet before leaving, and he remains baffled as to what that was about.
The use of milk floats peaked in the 1970s, when more than 50,000 were registered in Britain. Photographer and cultural historian Maxine Beuret estimated a couple of years ago that fewer than 400 are now used.
Hayden's electric vehicle, powered by 36 batteries, is 43 years old and sports the logo of Parker Dairies of South Woodford, which distributes milk from Cotteswold Dairy, based in Tewkesbury. Milkmen used to use three-wheelers. "They were great; you could turn around anywhere with them," he said, but speed bumps killed them off.
He also remembers the disbandment of the Milk Marketing Board — which regulated milk buying and selling since 1933 — in 1994. The axing meant supermarkets had more buying power and could sell cheaper milk in cartons, undercutting milkmen. However, doorstep services homed in on the local nature of their produce as a selling point.
"That actually helped us," Hayden said. "Once they got rid of that, the milk didn't get regulated then, so they could go and buy from Europe, rather than just keeping it. It gave a bit more freedom and kept it more British."
He said the decline has been sad to see, but the trade is making a "slight comeback" as people, including youngsters, want the nostalgia of a milkman on their doorstep. People also like that bottles are reused, and the "personal touch" adds to its appeal. Alternative forms of milk are getting more popular. "They've picked up a bit, the plant based, but we like the proper milk," he said.
Customers praise the personal touch
Emily Sturdy, 48, who works for a charity, said: "The thing about Steve is his cup is always half full. He's so positive, and he's so lovely. He just makes everyone feel dead happy." She added: "He quite often comes in, has a cup of tea, and watches the football with my son."
Martha Deiros Collado, 45, a clinical psychologist who has lived in the area for 14 years, said: "It's more than just a milk service. Steve is more than that — he's just part of the community." She added: "He checks up on people. He really knows if an older person is ill. Somebody lost a dog last night, and we can relay it to Steve, and he will spread the news to everybody. It becomes a massive community effort. He definitely goes above and beyond. He's always a friendly face in the morning. Even if I'm grumpy, if I see Steve, I have to smile. People like Steve make it warm and friendly—it makes it the kind of place where you don't want to leave."
She also said the milk is "delicious" and noted: "My daughters are allergic to cow's milk, so he offers oat milk, which is so much better than any other oat milk you can buy in the shops."
Phil Rock, 59, a retired accountant originally from Manchester, said: "Whenever you see him, he's always got a chat and he's a good laugh. It's just banter, football and whatever latest random escapade he's up to." Mr Rock noted that having milk delivered is "probably more expensive than going to the shop", adding: "I wouldn't necessarily do it if Steve wasn't part of it."
Freedom of the City honour
Hayden was awarded the freedom of the city earlier this year. The 789-year-old gong is awarded to Londoners who have made an immense contribution to civic or public life. The City of London Corporation got a tip off from one of his customers.
"It's obviously pretty big," he said. "It's sunk in a bit, but it just feels like why me? Because you hear about, I suppose, more famous people getting it, and I've got it, and it's surreal." Mr Rock said: "Everyone is very proud of him for getting the freedom of the city. We all bow to him now."
Even though he has been doing the job for more than four decades and is way past retirement age, Hayden does not want to stop anytime soon. Asked how long he wants to keep going, he said: "As long as I can. I'm just loving it, and especially now. The customers want me to keep going, and I want to keep going."
Being out so early gives him time for reflection. "When you're out here on your own, there's all different things," he said. "Good things, mostly. You just think about things — what you are going to do during the day, what you're going to do the next day, what you've done." He said it is good for his mental health in an extremely hectic modern world.
When asked if any romance had occurred on his rounds, with a glint in his eye, Hayden simply answered: "Yes. It's true."
