The Past in Pictures.
One of the forefathers of international moving, Alfred Davies, established Davies Turner (now DT Moving) in April 1870.
Led by Alfred, the company shipped the Victorian adventurers of the day and were renowned for innovation and change. One of Davies Turner’s first successful services involved consolidating many small shipments onto one bill of lading - useful because of the high minimums charged by shipping lines at that time. Alfred later became an MP but never left his role in the company.
DT Moving In The 1890s
In the 1890s under Alfred Davies’s stewardship, Davies Turner, now DT Moving, developed standardised reusable lift-vans, an early precursor to the containerisation revolution. See attached an 1890s horse-drawn lift-van in Central London. Quality packing was even more of an issue in the 1890s as road surfaces left a lot to be desired.