Dairy farmers latest to be celebrated in commemorative stamp set

Tuesday 29 October 2024

The local dairy industry is under the spotlight in Jersey Post's latest commemorative stamp set.

'The Jersey Dairy Industry' six-piece stamp set has been illustrated by British artist and author Christopher Wormell.

The set aims to celebrate the work of Jersey farmers and the Royal Jersey Agricultural & Horticultural Society by depicting the products they make and the traditional processes used.

Pictured: The six-piece stamp set aims to celebrate the local dairy industry.

Featuring Jersey cows, milk, butter and milk floats, the stamps shine a light on a much-loved and cherished part of Jersey's culture which dates back hundreds of years.

The commemorative set also includes a miniature sheet that shows a milkmaid wearing a sun bonnet.

Developed in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the sun bonnet ensured protection from the sun when out doing tasks in the field.

Pictured: The miniature sheet was also illustrated by Christopher Wormell.

Jersey had its own unique bonnet which was built over a structure of canes that supported its shape, and then tied with a ribbon under the chin.

This is the third set of stamps created by Mr Wormell, who also designed '150 Years of Brewing in Jersey' in 2021 and 'A History of Knitting in Jersey' in 2023.

The stamps cost:

• Traditional hand milking stamp - 60p
• Jersey cow portrait - 98p
• Milk churn stamp - 98p
• Milk float passing Mont Orgueil - £1.65
• Butter block - £2.15
• Jersey cow and her calf - £2.95

Philatelic products are available from the Jersey Post offices at Broad Street and Rue Des Pres or can be ordered online or by contacting the Jersey Philatelic Bureau on 01534 616717. 

DID YOU KNOW?

To provide some background on the exclusivity of Jersey's dairy industry, here are a few things you may not know about the island's biggest famous produce....

1. In 1789 the first legislation to protect the purity of the Jersey cow was introduced in the banning of imported cattle into the island, which still exists today.
2. Despite their name, milk churns weren’t actually used to churn milk. In 1974, due to the increasing population, the decision was made by Jersey Dairy to move on to milk tankers to collect a larger supply of milk from Jersey’s farms.
3. When it left the farm, fresh milk used to be transported to households by milk floats which were intentionally small vehicles that could navigate the island's narrow roads.
4. Though Jersey cows are renowned for their quality milk, butter is the second oldest dairy product produced by Jersey Dairy.