Pond Cottage - in front of Jempson's Peasmarsh

THE HISTORY OF JEMPSONS

This is the story of a family business founded in 1935. that still occupies its original site and has grown into the largest independent superstore in England.

The Company is owned and managed by brothers Stephen and Andrew Jempson, (grandson's of the founder, George Jempson),and sons of Harold, who still takes a paternal interest in the business. At 14 years old George learnt the grocery trade working in the Rye branch of the International Stores, then as Relief Manager at Vye and Sons, East Kent, and then at Pipers Grocery Store in Hawkhurst. In 1932 George left Pipers to work for Harman's - his first contact with the bakery trade. By this time he was courting his future wife, Winnie, but they agreed not to marry until George had established his own business. Three years later they married. Winnie was a formidable woman. Before her marriage she trained and qualified as an SRN at Charing Cross Hospital and worked in the Tunbridge Wells area as a much loved and respected district nurse. When she married George, within months of his starting the fledgling business, she became a working partner. She served in the shop, helped in the storeroom, kept the books and over the next 12 years bore their five children, the eldest being Harold.

George and Winnie's general store and bakery was a modest 225 sq ft with adjoining bakery. He served the local community for twenty years from this store and through his bakery delivery service to nearby villages. It was not easy. George somehow coped with the miseries of rationing of food and fuel, not to mention the dangers, of the war years. Like all surviving species, George had the ability, to recognise the changing social conditions and habits of the time. George retired in 1968 but Winnie is remembered by older customers and staff, still filling shelves when in her eighties!

George's son Harold joined the business in the early 1950's following National Service overseas in the RAF. He helped to develop the business by introducing mobile grocery stores. At its peak there were five vans regularly serving Peasmarsh and the srrounding villages. In 1955 Jempsons became a founder member of the VG Symbol Group, which helped th stengthen its buying and marketing activities. The business was further strengthened in the 1960's when Michael Bailey, Harold's brother-in-law, joined the company.