| Edward Bettles was born in 1854 at Podington, where he worked as an agricultural labourer. He married Sarah Rainbow from Denton, in 1875, and already had a son George, a son Charles Rainbow, and daughters Eveline Mary and Maria when the family left Podington in 1885. Edward brought the family to Rushden in about 1885, when George was about nine years old. William Harold Bettles was born soon after they arrived here, then two years later son Richard was born, and daughter Lily Farey three years later. Edward worked in the shoe trade. They lived in Orchard Place, but then moved to 19 Windmill Road. Like his father, George had trained as boot maker. His younger brother William also trained as a shoemaker before becoming a carrier.
George Edward Bettles, born at Podington about 1876, was married on December 26th 1901, at the Congregational Church, to Sarah Campion, born 1881, daughter of William, a currier, and Louisa.
In about 1908, George left the shoetrade and began to work on his own account using this fine horse and cart.
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G Bettles - contractor and coal merchant
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George was now a house owner, living at 17 Windmill Road, and was a coal merchant, in 1910, then a furniture remover, then a carter, and then a job master. By the end of WWI he was a carrier, and he then took his two sons, George Edward (born 1903) and Charles Frank (born 1908), into the business.
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G Bettles - furniture van outside number 17 c1914
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