Retail operations such as shops provided for the food, clothing and many other domestic needs of the population, and the history of the shops of Burton can be followed here. Pubs & Clubs provided for leisure hours, and their story is told in their special section of the site. Local Transport services for people and goods also have their own section.

Beyond all these, there are the other small business and trade operations - blacksmiths, builders, electricians, carpenters, engineers, plumbers, plasterers, painters & decorators, chimney sweeps, glazing firms, nurserymen, undertakers, even cycle repairers. Each had their vital role in providing necessary services. It is easy nowadays to forget how important they all were, since in the latter part of the last century, the growth of central heating reduced the demand for a chimney sweeps and the DIY boom encouraged people to do their own painting, decorating, even electrical work and plumbing.

The many local trades which flourished in the town are now often a distant memory, and the only evidence outside the families involved may be the survival of old adverts and bills. We present a selection of material from our archives as a window into an age of a bustling, thriving town whose workforce enjoyed full employment.