27th April 1938'On today's date , evening , a knock at the door and two men with a petition for us to consider regarding a fair that is shortly to come and set up at the old Midland Counties Milk Depot. This house, just a little way bellow us has been empty this last few weeks for the MCD have built a new depot near the 'Swan'. When we came to live here, that is 12 years ago this house was a fine old house of the 'better type', big gardens and green houses and nice lawns. It was a house of some work when Acocks Green was only a village and before Douglas Road and Alexander Road were cur. It has been going the worse way for a long time, the MCD have made very little effort to keep the place in good order, even if the manager lived there. We signed the form it is a most unsuitable and undesirable place for a 'fair'.'27th October 1939'Various rumours have been circulating about the old house last used by the Midlands Counties Dairy - whatever its purpose the R A F have taken it over today'.September 24th 1946. 'Tonight as I was having tea - there was a roaring sound then a succession of clattering sounds then silence... just like the sound of falling masonry that we used to hear in the raids. I went out in the garden and saw a cloud of dust - it was as I thought - the old 'Midland Counties' house had finally collapsed. Arthur and I joined many other others who were thinking as we did that some children may be under the debris, but although some where near it (and were possibly the cause of its collapse) they were just away from the danger area.The collapse has revealed a peculiar and interesting domed ceiling or roof to the ... Part of the house. The old house by the canal had a similar feature'. Extracts from the diaries of Frank Taylor Lockwood.