The agricultural needs of the area are partly met in this corner of Stockton market. In the background is the Parish Church built in 1710 and Rusk’s Cafe and the Prudential Assurance Company building c1950s.
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
Picture Stockton Archive 
Slight correction: It appears Sam Turner was the father of Charles Turner who traded as Charles Turner and Sons of Lazenby, both men were in the same business and people often got them confused as they had the same name, same family, and worked the same area with the same goods. It was Charles Turner who traded as the ”Farmers Friend” and stood Stockton market near the church, he also stood Darlington market. Alan Hodgson (thank you) states Charles Turners business was recently closed which seems a great pity.
Off topic. Directly behind Charles Turners Darlington stall was the via churchyard entrance to the small, yet famous. Darlington Railway Museum with lots of exhibits. This museum contained a beehive whose bees flew in and out of the beehive built inside the museum for visitors to watch (them), the -”beehive entrance”- led in from St Cuthbert’s C of E Churchyard, found at the rear of the market in Feethams, Darlington, it seems strange that 65 years later my going to see the bees still lingers fondly in my memory.
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The market stall you see with all the farm and agricutural gear was owned I think? by Sam Turner of Northallerton. He stood Stockton market for years and Darlington Market on a Monday. I always admired this stall and the goods on display. Always immaculately laid out with mountain’s of stock and 501 hardware items. My grandparents, parents and family bought goods from this stall and I can recall buying as a schoolboy a ‘Little Nipper Mousetrap’, he must have sold thousands of these in his time: Here is a brief history:
Sam Turner and Sons Ltd was established in 1931 by Sam Turner and his son Eric at a small warehouse in Eston, Middlesbrough, specialising in agricultural products. They took their wares to the leading markets in the area. With rationing and blackouts during the war years, travelling between Eston and the markets became problematic, so the business moved permanently to Northallerton. The move was accomplished with a lot of help from the local people – farmers from the neighbouring areas turned up in force with tractors, trailers and lorries to help move stock, proving beyond doubt how successful Sam and his sons had been in building up a relationship with the local agricultural community. They stayed at this Quaker Lane, Northallerton site for many years. In 1983 Sam Turner’s had once more outgrown its site and moved to its current location at Darlington Road Northallerton. The business became a limited company in 1947, when Sam Turner’s sons – Eric, Charlie and Bill were made directors. Eric’s two sons, John and Michael, continued the family tradition by joining the company on leaving school, and they were made directors in 1973. Their sons, Sam, Charlie and Ben Turner have now joined them in the business, taking the directorship of the company into the next generation.
* Footnote: There was another company which sold hardware and tools on various street markets called “The Farmers Friend”, was this another firm entirely or was it Sam Turners sales slogan?
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I think was “Charlie Tonner” as the farmers called him and the binder twine he sold always went by that name. The business at Lazonby has recently closed and everything has been sold.
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The market stall was Chas Turner the Farmers Friend Lazenby which can be seen on the end of the stall. The company was wound up in Jan 2014. Binder twine was always known as ‘Charlie band’
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This tool stall was in the same place for a good number of years!
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