Caring for Generations and Investing in the Future

 In today’s article, we are celebrating our contribution to a better world! Since 1795, empowering generations and developing the leaders of tomorrow has always been at the heart of our family-run business. Finding exciting and inventive ways to support our community has been our priority for over 227 years. And now, in 2022, we are embarking on a tree-mendous new initiative to support the planet! So, without further delay, let’s dig a little deeper as we explore our past, and help protect the future.

1795: Enter the Era of Play!

1795 is where our story begins! A determined Thomas Jaques establishes himself as a manufacturer, later inviting his 15 year old son John to join him as an apprentice. As John grew he too had a son of his own, he named him John Jaques II. As the years passed and business expanded the team set off to secure a more permanent headquarters. And in 1838 the Jaques settled into a new space in Hatton Gardens.

1862: Croquet and Creativity

A now-grown John Jaques II introduces the world to the wonders of Croquet: a game that proved fantastically popular at the time and that is still well-loved today. This year also saw the birth of more original games such as Snap and happy families. John Jaques II along with friendly collaborators helped to fill homes with fun and laughter and bring families closer together.

1924: Checkmate! A Country at War

Staunton Chess Sets are taking the world by storm, so much so that even the royals wanted to play, and Jaques were the proud suppliers! On the surface, this simple game of strategy provided hours of entertainment for families and friends: however, there is so much more to the story.

Did you know that these chess pieces played a heroic part in WWII?

Yep, that’s right! Jaques aided MI9 to rescue over 36,000 British and American citizens to escape capture by hollowing out game pieces: hiding tools such as maps and compasses inside. This ingenious and valiant effort helped to bring people home and reunite loved ones.

With life in London becoming increasingly dangerous at this time, the Jaques family decided to leave the city in search of a safe place to continue their creations. They made the move to Surrey, where they would stay until the beginning of a new century.

2020: Developing the Leaders of Tomorrow

Fast forward a few years: the Jaques have well established themselves in kent and are busy crafting new enterprises to empower the future! The launch of their exciting ‘Let’s’ ranges introduces 60 new toys designed to support the learning and growth of our little ones. Up until now, Jaques had been exclusively a game manufacturer. However, this new initiative allowed Jaques to give back to the community and bring joy to families in a whole new way.

2021: Educating Mini Minds

The pandemic in Britain changed the landscape of education, and Jaques were quick to adapt. With children across the country being educated from home, both parents and teachers had to find new ways to keep little ones learning. To help with this tricky transition we developed our Mini Minds Hub. Our mission was to provide free engaging and educational activities to keep learning fun and stress-free. These resources are still available to this day!

2022: A Toy Today Means a Tree Tomorrow

We find ourselves back in the present day, and with some exciting news to share! We are taking our commitment to sustainability one step further.

For years we have been dedicated to crafting all of our toys and games from ethically sourced wood: ensuring they are durable and widely recyclable.

With the help of trees, we have been able to craft high-quality play and bring fun and education to your door for centuries. But what does the future hold?

The launch of ‘a toy today means a tree tomorrow’ is inspired by our passion for the environment, as well as our dedication to building brighter a future.

We want to play our part in creating a greener, healthier society where little ones can thrive! For this reason, we have partnered with Ecologi to help us replace all the wood we use to create our toys and games! That’s right, new toys mean new trees!

Want to get involved? There are loads of ways you can join in with this movement! Visit https://ecologi.com/jaquesoflondon to find out more.

So, who is excited about the future? We are! Whilst, of course, we cannot predict our next big adventure, happy and healthy communities will continue to be at the heart of it all for generations to come!