Fife milk lady’s 40 years of doorstep delivery

Davina Bruce, milk delivery lady who has been working the round for 40 years. (Pic George McLuskie).

Fife milk lady Davina Bruce has certainly got a lot of ‘bottle’ when it comes to delivering your morning pint having racked up 40 years on the milk round.

Come rain or shine, gales or snow, Davina has ensured Kirkcaldy folk get their doorstep delivery for the last 18 years in a career across Fife spanning four decades.

It’s a far cry from those days as a youngster helping her father on his St Andrews round for a bit of pocket money.

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McQueen's Dairies has just made Davina its Woman of The Year in recognition of her service. (Pic George McLuskie).

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“Back then children could go on the round I used to help my father for a bit of cash so you could say milk runs in the family,” Davina explained.

“When my children were young I joined the Wiseman company from Cupar as it was back then delivering part time. Over the years that’s grown into a 40 year career.”

Working for McQueen Dairies in Kirkcaldy, the company has just declared Davina their ‘Woman of the Year’ in recognition of her long service and dedication.

While most of us are tucked up in bed, Davina aims to have the first bottles on the doorsteps by midnight, before finally heading back to the depot at around 6.30am.

“It’s job and finish so we can be pretty efficient when we want to, depending on the weather, of course.

“It’s not always fun on those cold, dark winter nights but I’m used to those now and you can’t beat being out in the fresh air on those early spring andsummer mornings when the sun’s coming up, that’s the best bit of the job for me.”

Asked if she’s ever thought about doing something else, the 60-year-old admits she did leave on a couple of occasions for an office job but came back after a day or two for thejob she really loves.

It also seems milk runs through three generations of the family with son Bob also a milkman for McQueens.

Now with a huge increase in demand for glass bottle delivery in recent times as people look to be more environmentally friendly reducing the use of plastic, Davina say’s it’s a bit like the old days once again.

“I’ll retire at some point but not yet, with the demand for glass booming, I’ve too much to deliver to pack it in just yet.”