Alice in Wonderland and Jaques of London
‘Alice thought she had never seen such a curious croquet-ground in her life; it was all ridges and furrows; the balls were live hedgehogs, the mallets live flamingos, and the soldiers had to double themselves up and to stand on their hands and feet, to make the arches’. – Alice in Wonderland, Chapter 8, Lewis Carroll
Lewis Carroll’s beautiful, imaginative reworkings of traditional croquet reaffirm the timelessness of this much-loved, nationally treasured sport. Did you know that Croquet has its roots firmly entrenched in English history? In 1851, Jon Jaques II invented the sport and debuted it, in the same year, at the Great Exhibition. That same year, Jon Jaques II commissioned Sir John Tenniel to complete the artwork and illustrations for our original Happy Families characters. Following from this, in 1865, Sir John Tenniel provided the illustrations for the original Alice in Wonderland novel. Jaques of London’s Croquet provided Sir John Tenniel with the perfect inspiration for his famous illustrations in Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland. Alice in Wonderland is a national treasure made complete by the addition of Croquet. Jaques of London are proud to be a part of this prolific and timeless tale.
We are exceptionally proud of our direct link to Alice in Wonderland. With our 225th birthday fast approaching, we are keen to embrace the past and celebrate our unique and diverse history. Originally renowned for our Croquet sets and the Staunton Chess Set, as well as the numerous beloved games we have invented (such as Tiddledywinks), we are now firmly established in the design and production of children’s toys and games.
Whilst holding onto our traditional roots, we remain committed to designing top quality toys and games for all ages packed full of educational and developmental benefits, advocated and designed by UK primary school teachers.
Keep your eyes peeled for our 225th birthday celebrations which will be heading your way very soon!
