Northampton's oldest milkman, 86, named as awards finalist in search for 'Best of British'

An 86-year-old Holcot milkman, who until lockdown had got up at the crack of dawn seven days a week for the last 71 years, has been named as a finalist in the Amplifon Awards For Brave Britons 2020, after a Chron article published in January. Great-grandad Tony Moulds, who used to milk the cows and bottle the milk before his round, has reached the final four of the Active Agers category in global-hearing specialist Amplifon’s search for ‘The Best Of British’.

Tony said: “It might have been 5.20am but I loved having something to get up for. My milk and paper round got me out of the house and I loved seeing people and talking to people every day.”

Tony left Northampton Grammar School at 15 to work on nearby Homestead Farm where he worked all of his life.

The grandfather of four and great-grandfather of six met his wife Josephine on the farm. She helped him by bottling the milk for him to deliver until she passed away in 2014.

Unfortunately, the coronavirus crisis has meant that Tony has been forced to retire and he officially stacked his last milk crate and hung up his final newspaper bag on Saturday, August 29.

He is having to self-isolate and has also been recently diagnosed with lung cancer, which he is undergoing treatment for.

Tony’s son Richard, who Tony now lives with in Billing Garden Village, said: “It upset my dad to have to retire after 71 years. He was extremely loyal to his customers and loved serving his community. He worked come rain, snow or shine.

“My dad acted like a local social worker and would check in with people every single day while delivering the milk and papers to see how they were doing.”

Tony is highly respected among the villagers in Holcot. In the 1980s, he became chairman of the village hall committee and was responsible for the modernisation of the hall. Over the years, he also worked in the post office and village shop.

Tony added: “For the past few years people would say ‘you should retire’, but I didn’t know how to and I felt so loyal towards my customers. I really did love my job.”

Tony has been invited to the virtual awards presentation on Tuesday, October 13, when Radio 5 Live breakfast presenter Rachel Burden will host the event, and Falklands War hero Simon Weston will be guest of honour.

Tony has been whittled down from 350 nominees to the final four who have reached the selection stage in the Active Agers category, chosen by the public from around the UK.