Jaques of London

What Jaques of London does

Jaques of London, operating legally as John Jaques and Son Limited (company number 00399667), is a privately held UK family-owned toy and games manufacturer founded in 1795 and currently led by Joe Jaques as the 8th-generation steward. Headquartered in Edenbridge and operating as a small business with 11–50 employees, the company designs, makes, and sells traditional toys and games directly to consumers via its own UK e-commerce storefront (jaqueslondon.co.uk), with delivery limited to UK Mainland. Its portfolio spans outdoor and garden games (69+ SKUs including croquet sets, skittles, badminton, pickleball, and tumbling towers), indoor traditional games (chess, backgammon, dominoes, draughts, Ludo, card games), Montessori-inspired educational toys co-developed with UK teachers, wooden toys, puzzles, arts & crafts, travel games, gift sets, and the Simon Shaw Rugby Balls line featuring proprietary ShawGrip and ShawStitch technologies. The company holds unique heritage intellectual property including the original 1850 Staunton chess design — now the world standard — and the invention of croquet (1851), with Jaques equipment used in every World Croquet Championship since the event's inception.

Name

Jaques of London

Legal name

John Jaques and Son Limited

Website

https://jaqueslondon.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1795

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Jaques of London is a 1795-founded, family-owned UK manufacturer of traditional toys, board games, croquet sets, and Montessori educational toys, selling direct-to-consumer through its own UK e-commerce website with a luxury collector range up to £5,495.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Traditional Toys & Family Games

NAICS

Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (45912), Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (459120), Doll, Toy, and Game Manufacturing (339930)

SIC

Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945), Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles (No Dolls & Bicycles) (3944)

akta.pro primary industry

Board Game & Puzzle Specialty Retailers (CRALALAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Family/Party Board Games Retail (CRALALAB), Party Games & Family Entertainment Games Retail (CRALAFAJ), Outdoor & Ride-On Toys Retail (CRALAFAC)

Keywords

• Wooden toys
• Traditional games
• Chess sets
• Croquet equipment
• Educational toys

Headquarters

HQ city

Edenbridge

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct Product Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales of traditional toys, games, and gift sets through their e-commerce platform. Products range from budget-friendly items (£5-20) to luxury items (£500-5,000+). Revenue is generated through one-time product purchases with no recurring subscription components.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Jaques of London manufactures and sells traditional wooden toys, board games, and family games directly to UK consumers through its own e-commerce website. Its range spans budget-friendly children's toys (from £5.99), through Montessori-inspired educational toys and mid-range garden games, up to luxury collector chess sets and premium croquet sets priced at £500 to £5,495. The company also offers branded performance rugby balls under the Simon Shaw Rugby line.

Product overview

Jaques of London is a traditional toy and games manufacturer established in 1795, offering a diverse portfolio of classic toys and family entertainment products. The company sells direct to consumers through its UK e-commerce platform with products organized into key categories: Traditional Games (chess, backgammon, dominoes, card games), Board Games, Luxury Croquet Sets with accessories, Garden & Outdoor Games (tumble towers, skittles, pickleball), Garden Toys and Equipment, Educational/Montessori Toys, Wooden Toys, Puzzles, Arts & Crafts, Travel Games, Rugby Balls (Simon Shaw Rugby brand), and Gift Sets/Bundles. The product range spans from baby toys to adult collector items, with a focus on screen-free, sustainable wooden toys and traditional British garden entertainment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Traditional Games

Quantifiable outcome

• Jaques croquet equipment has been used in every World Croquet Championship since they began
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered operational.

• EvrioperationalOthersPrimary standard delivery partner for UK mainland orders (3-5 working days). Standard rate of £1.95 for orders over £35.
• FedExoperationalOthersPremium delivery partner for 2-3 day standard and next working day delivery services across UK.
• Amazon ShippingoperationalOthersCourier partner for order fulfillment, providing tracking-enabled delivery services.
• Royal MailoperationalOthersDelivery partner for certain order sizes and addresses within UK delivery network.
• Parcel ForceoperationalOthersDelivery partner for larger items including croquet sets and luxury chess products.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Op (USAopoly): The Op is a US-based maker of board games, card games, and puzzles with a focus on classic and licensed titles. Comparable to Jaques in family board games and traditional game categories.
• Ravensburger: Ravensburger is a heritage German manufacturer and retailer of board games, jigsaw puzzles, and family games. Directly comparable to Jaques of London in product category (traditional board games, puzzles, family entertainment) and long-established brand positioning.
• Orchard Toys: Orchard Toys is a UK-based maker of educational games, puzzles, and jigsaws for children. Closely comparable to Jaques' educational and family board game ranges, with shared UK retail DNA and educational positioning.
• Bigjigs Toys: Bigjigs Toys is a UK-based manufacturer and retailer of traditional wooden toys, educational toys, and family games. Directly comparable to Jaques' wooden toys, educational range, and UK heritage toy positioning.
• Le Toy Van: Le Toy Van is a UK-based maker of wooden educational toys, dolls houses, and traditional play sets. Comparable to Jaques in wooden toy manufacturing, sustainable materials emphasis, and UK-based heritage brand positioning.
• Melissa & Doug: Melissa & Doug is a US-based maker of wooden toys, puzzles, and pretend play. Directly comparable to Jaques' wooden toys, puzzles, and screen-free developmental play value proposition for families.
• Winning Moves: Winning Moves is a maker of classic and licensed board games, card games, and puzzles. Directly comparable to Jaques' traditional games, chess, and family board game range.

Broad incumbents

• Hasbro: Hasbro is a global toy and games conglomerate with broad offerings across board games, card games, and traditional play. Overlaps with Jaques in family board games and traditional games, but operates at vastly greater scale and across much wider categories.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/jaqueslondon
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/jaques-london

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Jaques of London