“You get it with your Kelloggs”

Turner & Kendrick was started in 1947 by Jack Turner & John Kendrick. Jack had racecourse pitches all over England. John started with him at the end of the war as a clerk and then became a partner.

When Jack Turner passed away, John Kendrick had just the racecourse business. Round about 1959 he started up an SP office at 3 Ford Street, Coventry.

Roger Smith left school at fifteen and applied for a vacancy with Fred Gilbert, who was then the biggest credit betting bookmaker in the Midlands. In those days he had 60 staff. Roger moved from there to Benny Deane at Leicester, Nottingham and Derby with his next move going to work for John Kendrick's.

Roger got to know of Kendrick's through a tic-tac man he employed named Sam Newbold which took him to work for John Kendrick as a workman.

John told Roger he wanted to develop the credit business, he'd got a certain amount of customers from the track; Roger said we'll put them in, do a bit of advertising and see how we go. They developed the business to where, at one stage, they had 30 lines and 12 staff. There were no computers then so you needed the staff to take care of all the necessary accounting and ante post betting.

Turner & Kendrick prided themselves on the fact that they always sent accounts out on time. If you'd got anything to come from Turner & Kendrick, you got it Monday morning or as the saying went "You get it with you Kellogg's"

John Kendrick continued on the racecourse while Roger managed the credit side. Eventually Roger acquired an interest in the business and by the mid-seventies, he held a 50% interest.

Turner & Kendrick moved from their original Ford Street office to their current premises at 7 The Quadrant. They were soon to acquire some decent publicity courtesy of a horse of the same name in the mid-seventies. Seven the Quadrant was owned by John with Roger as a silent partner the horse was trained by Ryan Price and won four times as a 3yr old in 1973. It then got better. He had the home bred mare Ask for Roger running in John Kendrick's name (see achievements). Roger and Bill Kendrick, John's sons later bred Ask for Roger to the stallion Owen Anthony, the result being a filly, which they named Rogers Princess. Robert street rode her as a 2yr old and suggested to us that we put her in a field and let her grow. She then won a seller at Southwell over Easter at 5yrs old From there she just seemed to get better (see achievements).

Two years after her big win, she was in the same race traveling a dream. The horse inform clipped the hurdle which swung back and broke her shoulder. Two years earlier we'd watched her trot up by 12 lengths, then 2 yrs later you go home glum and tearful!

John Kendrick suffered with his health in the later years and when he passed away in 1981, Roger took over the business. They'd built the credit business up to a large size for an independent company. Roger Smith continued to run Turner & Kendrick alone until November 2003 when Roger retired I've spent 48 years working, six days a week guaranteed, Touch wood my health is 95% right, so I thought the time had come to turn it in.

Roger handed over the reins of Turner & Kendrick to his brother-in-law, Paul Fitzpatrick, Paul started out 20 years ago as a trainee with Leicester Bookmaker Brian Ingamells, who were taken over by William Hill where Paul rose to become an area Manager.

Turner & Kendrick today still remains the traditional bookmaker it always has been. Fully trained experienced staff who are there to assist you with your every need.

No Piped Music, No Queues,
you get on here — win or lose.

As an independent bookmaker we can confidently say our worst price is their best!

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