Generations of family members attend milestone event for famous Harrogate business founded in 1901
Several generations of the Jesper family gathered for a night of memories and celebration to mark the 125th anniversary of one of Harrogate’s oldest shops.
Among the family members young and old attending this milestone event for Jespers of Harrogate, which was founded in 1901, was Charles Jesper, who joined this respected firm in the 1950s as part of the third generation of owners.
Also present at the store at 14 Oxford Street was Peter Jesper who, in 1979, became the fourth generation of Jespers to serve in the business and was managing director until August 2019.
Both had fond memories of the glory years of this historic business which was launched by Foster Barrett Jesper in 1901 as a hand engraving business specialising in commission work for London Jewellers, the Royal Family and major sporting and business corporations.
Both told the Harrogate Advertiser they still missed all the great things about this Yorkshire byword in quality pens and stationery, art supplies and office furniture – the customers and the staff, the camaraderie and the commitment to old-fashioned high standards in the heart of Harrogate.
They also admitted they didn't miss all the hard work of running such as successful business quite as much.
In 2019, the Jesper family finally sold the business to the Yorkshire-based Vickers family, who also have a history in businesses related to stationery and office supplies and also run the 200-year-old Vickers Oils.
James Gawthorpe, current director of Jespers, addressed this who’s who of recent Harrogate life enjoying canapes and fizz inside the store with a speech which paid tribute to the shop’s heritage and the dedication of manager Lynn Cummings, who first joined as a sales assistant in 1994, and her hard-working team.
Mr Gawthorpe also talked about the importance of moving with the times and the success of changes to the business.
Under new ownership, Jespers has kept everything that made people love it, including those fabulous luxury pens which can costs hundreds of pounds.
But Jespers has also diversified into a wider range of gifts which were proving popular with today’s generation.