TOKEN, MILK

Description: MILK TOKENS ARE DAISY SHAPED (3 WHITE, 1 BLACK AND 2 TURQUOISE). ON ONE SIDE IS PRINTED "ALPHA MILK CO. CALGARY/RED DEER/ LETHBRIDGE, ALBERTA" MADE IN U.S.A.". ON THE REVERSE SIDE IS AN INDICATION OF WHAT THE TOKEN IS TO BE USED FOR (1 LITRE OF SKIM MILK OR HOMO MILK).

History: THE MILK TOKENS WERE ISSUED BY THE LETHBRIDGE DAIRY FOR USE IN HOME DELIVERIES, PERHAPS IN THE EARLY 1960'S FOR THE HORSE-DRAWN MILK WAGON. BELONGED TO DONOR'S PARENTS VILLA JEAN AND CHARLES TYRRELL. VILLA WAS BORN IN LETHBRIDGE IN 1916. CHARLES WAS RAISED IN MEDICINE HAT, AND MOVED TO LETHBRIDGE SHORTLY AFTER WORLD WAR II. BOTH VILLA AND CHARLES WERE AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS; VILLA BEING ONE OF THE FIRST WOMEN IN AMATEUR RADIO. VILLA WAS ALSO ONE OF THE FIRST LICENSED FEMALE REAL ESTATE SALESPEOPLE IN LETHBRIDGE. CHARLES WORKED AS THE ELECTRONIC TECHNICIAN AT THE LETHBRIDGE AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH CENTRE UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT. THEY WERE ACTIVE IN THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY, AND THE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. VILLA AND CHARLES LIVED IN LETHBRIDGE FOR MOST OF THEIR MARRIED YEARS. CHARLES PASSED AWAY IN 1994 AND VILLA IN 1998.