Dickinson of Longley honoured

Joseph Dickinson OBE was honoured by friends, colleagues and family at a special presentation to celebrate his extraordinary contribution to British dairy farming recently. The 90-year-old, who is one of the original founders of Longley Farm of Yorkshire, received an engraved glass water jug to mark his farming achievements, which span more than 50 years. Alastair Alton, chairman of farming group Yorkshire Agricultural Adventurers, which presented the tribute, says Dickinson has been one of its longest standing members and thoroughly deserved the award.

“We call ourselves the ‘Agricultural Adventurers’ and there is no one that displays as much adventurous agricultural spirit as Joseph,” he says. “It’s an absolute honour to be able to help mark his contribution to Yorkshire farming and the dairy industry as a whole.”

Joseph and the Dickinson family have been at the heart of the farming and dairy landscape in Holmfirth since he and brother Edgar Dickinson MBE founded Longley Farm in 1948. In his time at Longley Farm, Joseph has pioneered many industry firsts: offering the region’s first pasteurized milk and setting up one of the first outlets selling fresh cream. In 1954, when rationing ended, Longley was among the first to return to the production of cream and in 1973 was the first dairy in Europe to make cottage cheese on a commercial scale.

Son Jimmy Dickinson, who now runs the business, says: “From some 30 acres of rough land bequeathed from Great Uncle Jonas Hinchliffe, my father laid the foundations of a thriving international business and gave so much to the farming industry – it has been an inspirational journey.”