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Milk Maid

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                    Dairy Maid, about 1900
 

A dairymaid, possibly from the Galloway area, photographed around 1900 holding her luggie or milking-pail and her four-legged milking stool, the symbols of her occupation.

The objects, obviously held with some pride, helped to define her identity and showed her importance within her community.
Milking was always considered to be women's work. It required care and cleanliness. Having taken the foaming buckets of milk from the byre, the milk was poured into basins to settle. Once the cream had risen to the top it was skimmed off to be used in butter or cheese making, leaving behind the fresh milk.