Name/TitleButter churn

About this objectA working butter churn of the "over end" type, used at Mill Farm by farmer's wife Mrs Emma Rose Rumsey and latterly by their daughter, Miss Rumsey, who made an average 40-50 lbs. of butter a week (from about five cows). She sold butter, milk and separated milk (the latter at 1/2 d. per pint) to customers who collected it from the farm.

Reducing their production from the early 1950s, the Rumseys still kept a house cow and churned a small quantity of butter (c.11-12 lbs at a time, when the cow had recently calved). Miss Rumsey used the churn right up until the death of the cow in 1975.

Research Volunteer, Richard Hall:
This churn was made by R.A. Lister and Company of Dursley in Gloucestershire. Research suggests that R.A. Lister, who were perhaps better known for their small petrol and diesel engines, made a number of these churns between 1890 and 1910 from offcuts of wood from their garden furniture making business.

It is a very simple wooden frame in which is placed a small wooden barrel with a spindle though the centre. The barrel can be spun ‘end-on-end’ by turning the handle at the end of the spindle. The whole mechanism serves to turn the barrel end-on-end, and spinning the contents inside – a process known as “Churning” from which the object derives its name. The result is similar to whipping cream with a whisk or mixer, except that this process requires muscle power rather than electricity.

Butter is usually made from cows’ milk, although it is possible to use milk from goats as well. Mary Taylor produced a very interesting blog piece about making butter on the farm in 2013 in which she tells us that after the cream had been separated from the milk, it was put into a butter churn and turned until “it made a thumping noise”. At this point, she knew that the cream had turned to butter.

MakerR.A. Lister & Co Ltd

Place MadeDursley, England

Medium and MaterialsOak with brass fittings, with iron plate on base.

Inscription and MarksIron plate on base bears maker's name and address: Lister & Co Ltd. Dursley, England. around the circumference, with the figure 2 in the centre.

A brass plate on the lid is stamped CHURN/ No. C3/ Size.

MeasurementsHeight: 87cm
Stand at base: 67cm x 61cm
Barrel: 84cm depth x 43cm diameter

Object Typechurn

Object numberSTMEA:75.A.78.1

Copyright LicenceAttribution - Non-commercial (cc)