Originally used in agriculture for harvesting produce and measuring grain, the trug became famous after a Mr Smith showed them at the Great Exhibition in 1851 and Queen Victoria ordered a consignment for members of the Royal Family.

On completion of the order, Mr Smith loaded his trugs into a wheelbarrow and walked all the way from Herstmonceux to Buckingham Palace trusting no-one else with his precious cargo. By this time many shapes and sizes had been added to the range so that there were trugs for all purposes.