left his mother and father (now in Coleford) to travel to Kingswood, he gave her his total profits – the considerable sum (in those days) of 30 pounds. In about 1816 the apprentice-ship expired and Samuel signed a three-year contract to work for Henry, at annual salaries of 40, 50 and 60 pounds. During this time he started to put his trading skills to use and gradually took over the buying and pricing duties. At the end of that contract, about 1819, Henry had got into difficulties with a banking venture. Samuel however, had saved 100 pounds from his wages and he handed them over. In return, he was made a partner. Samuel took a small cottage near the shop and married Ann Smith from Midsomer Norton. Partnership Samuel now was eager to put his trading skills to further use. Customers used to travel some distance to the shop and he started calling on them to take orders. Gradually he extended this to limited wholesale trading. His more experienced brother was nervous about these innovations and although that held Samuel back, it may have enabled them to keep the business in balance between safety and growth. After they had mastered this limited trading they extended it. Hitherto they had sold in small villages. Now they would try towns. Samuel had bought butter when the market was low so he tried to sell it in Frome. The big shops turned up their noses at a salesman from humble Kingswood so he hinted that the smaller shops (whom they supplied) might be interested. That was enough in some cases to make the sale. It became his normal practice to begin a fresh town with the large shops and sell what was left to the smaller ones. Also when making a later visit to a town, he would visit again those who had refused him before and present his day's offers calmly. He always took care to give his first and best attention to whoever had first accepted him in any town. He trained his travellers in the same principles. In time the business reached as far as Birmingham and Penzance. A warehouse was built in Kingswood and the place expanded with new houses for Budgett employees. Samuel bought the grounds of an old quarry. Here he built a substantial house where he lived to the end of his life. Other Bristol merchants