Object number
51/1246
Creator
Description
This cheese press was used to squeeze out excess whey in order to make hard cheeses. It consists of a wood stool and a cast iron frame, with a central screw attached to a round pressing plate. The cheese would be placed on the lead dish, which has a drainage outlet for the whey, and the handle turned to press the plate down on the cheese. This press manufactured by Pond and Son of Blandford, Dorset, and was used at the Department of Dairying at the University of Reading.
Physical description
1 cheese press: metal (iron, lead); wood (oak); good condition[cont'd]...There is a wheel with 4 handles which, when turned, moves the pressing plate down onto the cheese. There is a lead dish upon which the cheese stands and this has a drainage outlet at the front. The whole press- apart from the wooden base- is painted green, and there is a decorative frieze on the top bar depicting cows, a horse and cart and berries. Embossed on the top bar and on the pressing plate is: 'Pond & Son, Blandford, Dorset, England'.
Archival history
MERL text label – [This laminated label was used in the main displays, circa 2005-2014] 'Pond's Improved Cheese Press, c.1900 // This Press was made by William Pond & Son of Blandford, in the heart of the Dorset dairying district. // [reproduction of cover of Pond & Son price list] // [page break] // 'Pond's Improved Cheese Press, c.1900 // This cheese press was one of the first objects collected by the Museum in 1951 and had previously been used in the University's Dairy Department. // Its purpose was to squeeze out waste liquid, or whey, from a newly-made cheese inside a cylindrical mould. // The block was screwed down onto the top ofthe mould and furtehr pressure was applied by a lever attached to weights. // This press was designed for making Cheddar and Cheshire cheese. Note the lead tray - lead was often used in dairying equipment at the time because of its non-corrosive properties (we know now that it is poisonous). // 51/1246'
Production place
Blandford
Object name
Material
Associated subject
External document
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\Documents\Scans\51_1246_doc_01.tif - High resolution image
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\Documents\Scans\51_1246_doc_02.tif - High resolution image
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\Documents\Scans\51_1246_doc_03.tif - High resolution image
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\Documents\Scans\51_1246_doc_04.tif - High resolution image
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\Documents\Scans\51_1246_doc_05.tif - High resolution image
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\Documents\Scans\51_1246_doc_06.tif - High resolution image
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\35 series negatives\Scans\35_812.tif - High resolution image
