Dear Robin,

My wife is a BIG fan of your Trugs, as you know. The Royal Sussex Garden Trug No. 7 (we have ordered) will be used for grocery shopping. Instead of the ubiquitous throw-away plastic bag, or even a cloth bag, she wants to use the Trug. Leslie is a fan of baskets and your Trugs fit perfectly into her life-style. We do not live in a city but in rural Maine where old traditions still prevail. How great that your firm exists and that we found you several years ago. We’re looking forward to the No.7! Thanks for the swift and excellent service.

Tomm Shockey, Maine, USA

‒ Tomm Shockey

Your basket has arrived, and I am astonished that it could be delivered so quickly. Thank you for remarkable service!
Stanley J. Fisher, Jr., Connecticut, United States of America.

Robin’s Note: We sent the Trug by UPS parcel service on 12th December and they delivered it to Stan on 14th!

‒ Quick Delivery!

Dear Robin, Trug has arrived safely. Delighted! Will be back for more once your stocks have recovered.
David Taylor, Berwickshire.

‒ Delighted!

Dear Robin, thank you so much for keeping me up to date with the progress of my wife’s Trug. Your customer service is excellent, but then it usually is with you English. We have been to Great Britain many, many times and the next time hope to visit your shop.

My wife is a horticulturalist my trade, and grows organic veggies from our garden and two greenhouses, so this is a special gift. I am so glad I read your advertisement in January issue of BRITAIN magazine.

I am so happy that we can help in some small way to keep your craft alive. I am pretty sure we will be ordering more Trugs for my wife’s friends in the near future.

‒ Trug to America Bob Green, Pennsylvania, USA

I am pleased to report that my order arrived today. The Trugs are lovely, so, thank you.

‒ Marion Clarke Brighton, Sussex.

Do keep up the good work! People are turning more and more to handmade and authentic objects and I get a real pleasure out of possessing and making a gift of something that is NOT mass produced. It DOES make a difference.

‒ Ellen Jolley Bruebach, France.

Just a quick note to say thank you to you and your son. We were really pleased with the Trug and enjoyed meeting your son very much and learning about this lovely craft. The Trug was a present for a very close friend and she was absolutely delighted.

‒ Christine James

A beautifully made No.1 Flower Trug arrived at midday today in perfect condition. Thank you so much for doing this so quickly.

‒ Donald Lockhart Hayle, Cornwall.

I love the Trug! It is beautifully made and it is all the more special because I was born and brought up in East Sussex, near Lewes. It will be very useful for all the vegetables I have grown with the children this year – potatoes, runner beans, courgettes and tomatoes, as well as for all the flowers. It will be very well looked after here.

‒ Alexander Roberts

Just wanted to let you know that I am ABSOULTELY DELIGHTED with the Trug. It will make a wonderful gift and now that I have seen it, I think I will be ordering more in due course as gifts for other friends. It is such a delight to have a proper hand made one.

‒ Rosemary Byrde Reading, Berkshire.

The Trug arrived safely today and I’m sure my Mother will be thrilled with it on Christmas day!

‒ Jane Hill Inverness, Scotland.

The Trug arrived safely and is lovely, a perfect gift for my wife. Thank you.

‒ Robert Birtwell Chichester, Sussex.

The Trug arrived this morning in good order and I’m very pleased with it. My mother will be delighted this Christmas, as she has been looking for a new Trug for a while.

‒ Tim Price Nottingham.

Just to let you know, the Trug arrived today. It’s lovely and I am sure that my mother-in-law will love it! Thanks for everything.

‒ Wendy Bowen Chislehurst, Kent.

Trugs have been delivered this morning and look absolutely fabulous! Thank you for your first class product and service.

‒ Caroline Bunting Romsey Marsh, Kent.

I picked up the Trug today, it is beautiful and so light. I rushed out to the garden and filled it with broad beans – they make a lovely “clunking” sound as they drop in!

‒ Kerry Pattenden Sydney, Australia

The Trug arrived on Monday and is perfect!

‒ Michael Clarke High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire.

Thank you. I am sure it (the Trug) will be highly prized and much used for a very long time.

‒ Graham Rose Glasgow, Scotland.

Just wanted to say Trug arrived on 13th December, safely in one piece. It is terrific! I wish I had one myself – maybe one day. I can’t wait to see Mum’s face when she opens it!

‒ Rebecca Haynes Australia.

There is something infinitely satisfying about having a Trug and it will learn its manners from my old one, which must be at least 50 years old and is still serviceable, except for a small hole in the base. I couldn’t resist buying yours from Notcutts, St. Albans …….I refuse to use a plastic one!

‒ Daphne Griffin Hertfordshire.

Just to say a big “thank you” for processing my order so quickly. The trug was a gift for my mother and she is delighted with it. It is a beautiful work of craftmanship. I wish you every sucess.

‒ Andrew Evans Gwynedd.

The Trugs have just arrived and they are fabulous!

‒ Mary Hollyhocks, Cranleigh, Surrey

The Trug I bought from you last year has been put to good use and I’m delighted with it!

‒ Janet Surrey Hills Wood Fair

The Trug arrived on Thursday as promised. It is perfect! Thank you so much. I shall put the word around and hopefully you will get some more orders.

‒ Dilly Rowe London, England

Dad loved his Trug for his 88th birthday, really loved it and served his home made sour dough bread in it at a family party last weekend! Thank you for your brilliant customer service, speedy response, courteous emails and super fast delivery as this was a very last minute request. I have recommended you to lots of my friends who have admired Dad’s Trug. Old fashioned craftsmanship is rare these days, but my Dad appreciated it very much and I am very happy to have made him happy on his birthday with your help.

‒ Alison Warwick, England

Thank you for the safe delivery of the lovely trug. My cousin has long wanted one and will be delighted to receive it when we deliver it to its new home in Switzerland!

‒ Julie Pembrey Surrey.

Thank you very much for the lovely trug…..I am delighted and I know that my sister-in-law in New Zealand is going to be so surprised! And thanks for the home delivery, very much appreciated.
Hope to see you on my (next) trip over to beautiful Sussex.
Editor’s Note: We delivered to Mary in Seaford, Sussex although we would have preferred to do so to Canada! This Trug went from Sussex to Canada and then on to New Zealand – so very well travelled!

‒ Mary Huxley Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

Thank you for your excellent service!

‒ Stewart Brown Yallingup, Perth, Western Australia

The Trug has arrived – thank you, and it is beautiful! Thank yiouy so much for this – Mum will definitely enjoy uysing it now! I’ll be recommending you to my friends!

‒ Danielle Marks New South Wales, Australia

I thank you very much for the indeed lovely, pure and historic Sussex Trug No.6. The solid box arrived a few days ago, and the trug is welcomed here. It will be our 70-years birthday present to our friend, who is taking lovely care of our garden. I will of course include the history of Mr. Smith’s Trug – after doing a copy to ourself to keep. It is very interesting, as we have a No.6 and a larger fireside trug in constant use for years.

At the same time I should tell you that my husband, our two children and I visited your then trug workshop in the mid 70-ties in Herstmonceux. The (then) children were invited to climb in the chips (shavings), and we purchased a few trugs to bring home to Denmark from our holiday on the outskirts of Hastings .

A few years later I started a modest trade with handicraft……..and the first items I imported was Sussex Trugs from Thomas Smith’s Trugs. The Queen of Denmark was gifted with one item from the Old Town Museum in Aarhus when visiting the museum.

So you see it is an old love and admiration we feel about this genuine, perfect made British quality. Perfect in shape, design and handicraft making. It is wonderful to learn that you are exporting 40% of your production – and that you are successful in carrying on the traditional of this handicraft. We are looking so much forward to gift our friend with your trug.

‒ Karen Doessing Denmark

I just wanted to appreciate you all over again! Some years ago I came to your shop and was shown the wonder of making Trugs….the whole process. The history in itself is facinating and reminds me of my own roots in Sussex. My little grandson has the Trug I bought. Thank you for keeping going!

‒ Evengeline Rand Edmonton, Alberta, Canada