Trade, Industry & Jobs

Turvey, like many Bedfordshire villages, saw many of its residents employed in either the lace or straw plait industries.

As well as having a number of shops and public houses, Turvey has housed other industries over the years.

For about the lace made in Turvey click here.

Trade in 1881

At the time of the 1881 census, Turvey was quite a busy little village, with many of its needs catered for without need to travel.  The large town of Bedford is just 8 or so miles away and regular deliveries of additional supplies would have frequently entered the village.

Here are some of the industries and trades present in Turvey at this time.

Coachman, Sewing Mistress, Agricultural labourer, Lacemaker, Railway Platelayer, Coo, Bootmaker, Painter, Domestic Servant, Butcher, Dressmaker, Schoolteacher, Grocer, Baker, Farmer, Horsekeeper, Groom, Rector, Policeman, Telegraph Clerk, Blacksmith, Carter, Washerwoman, Cabman, Soldier, Chemist, Surgeon, Minister, Milliner, Carpenter, Plumber & Glazier, Innkeeper, Magistrate, Barmaid, Gardener, Tailor, Stone Mason, Straw Bonnet maker, Builder,Brickmaker, Bricklayer, Gamekeeper, Shepherd, Coal Merchent, Cowman,.......

For more details of trade in 1881 see the 1881 page!

For details of residents signed up for military duties over the years, click here.

For a transcription of the 1864 Post Office Directory entry for Turvey, click here!

Many Turvey people worked with straw plait - click here.

Turvey Trade for Turvey People

Many trades in the village offered goods and services for the villagers themselves.

At the turn of the century the main form of transport was still horses.  The blacksmith had his forge on the corner of Newton Lane.  This rare old photo shows the Turvey smith at his work.  As the horse population dwindled with the coming of the motor vehicle, most smiths turned to making fancy ironwork (gates etc) until even this trade reduced the profession to its current rarity.  Nowadays, people who shoe horses are known as farriers and the term blacksmith is used for those who make fancy ironwork.

Here is a very rare photograph of the little Turvey garage on the corner of Newton Lane.  Here, residents could have their 'new fangled' motor cars fixed and serviced.  The garage is no longer there, villagers now use the petrol station at nearby Lavendon for their fuel and buy their cars at the many big salserooms in the area.  There are still a few privately run small garages in the area (there are two at nearby Warrington for example).  If anyone out there knows the make and date of this car I would love to hear from you!

This postcard shows the horsedrawn reapers which would have been a regular sight each year.  Right up until the middle of this century, the villagers would attend the harvest - small children would scurry around the fields after the reaper, looking for any odd ears.  This was called gleening.

Click on this button to find out about the well-known local firm of Bailey's Transporters.

For information on the pubs of Turvey, click here.

The Covington family were blacksmiths in the village for many generations.  The Parish Registers note:

Peter who was buried 24 Jan 1627

Peter who was buried 2 Sep 1744 and

Henry who was buried 27 Jan 1802

Who was the Tinker of Turvey?

If you have seen the Pubs page or the page on Nell's Well, you may have heard of the Tinker of Turvey.  What is now the village stores was once a public house called 'The Tinker of Turvey'.  See the previously mentioned pages for more info.

Anyway, a tinker was a man who mended pots, kettles and other metal household utensils.  Many could also make such items.  Some had workshops but many travelled from village to village.  Over the years the name 'tinker' fell into disrepute, becoming something of an insult.

The 'Specials'  - Turvey's voluntary

police force.