BBC - Nottingham Features - Jessops' history in pictures (2024)

History of Jessops
Jessop and Son has been trading in Nottingham for nearly 200 years.

Today's Jessops, which trades on four floors in the Victoria Centre is a far cry from the little shop at 9 Long Row, where John Townsend opened for business in 1804.

In 1860 Zebedee Jessop, from Swineshead in Lincolnshire, became a partner in the business and then took control in 1866.

In 1897 the lease expired on the Long Row shop and he moved to recently rebuilt premises at 16 King Street.

In 1907 Zebedee died and his son William took control of the business.

The John Lewis Partnership was looking to expand and on 27 April 1933 Jessops became the first John Lewis shop outside of London.

In 1960 extensive refurbishment and rebuilding started.

In 1972 Jessops moved into the Victoria Centre, a new purpose-built shopping complex a few yards up the hill and the first John Lewis shop to move into a shopping centre.

From the end of this month the Jessops name will be no more. Look through our photo history of Jessops >>