Jenners archive
- Reference:GB 587 J
- Dates of Creation:1838-1980s
- Name of Creator:
- Language of Material:English
- Physical Description:18 volumes of scrapbooks, 4 boxes of material and one file
Scope and Content
The Jenners archive consists of a collection of newspaper and magazine articles, fashion plates, adverts and sales catalogues relating to this Edinburgh institution and its history. The adverts in the collection are mainly for fashion items. The archive is in 18 scrapbooks and 4 boxes of loose-leaf material and covers the period from Jenners beginning in 1838 to the1980s, with the vast majority of items relating to the 1920s and 1930s.
Administrative / Biographical History
Jenners was founded as a drapery business in 1838 by Charles Jenner and Charles Kennington, and was known as "Kennington & Jenner". Kennington retired in 1861 and the store became Charles Jenner and Co. in 1874. Jenner retired in 1881 and left the store to his junior partner James Kennedy. Kennedy and his descendants, the Douglas-Miller family, have been in charge of the business since 1881.
Fire destroyed the original buildings in 1892 and in 1893 the Scottish architect William Hamilton Beattie was appointed to design the new store which subsequently opened in 1895. Jenners has held a Royal Warrant since 1911.
In 2005 the Douglas-Miller family sold the business – the oldest independent department store in Scotland - to House of Fraser, but the name has been retained.
Access Information
Please make an appointment with the library beforehand. Email mailto:library@nms.ac.uk
Other Finding Aids
A finding aid written by Jean Auld can be accessed at http://www.nms.ac.uk/media/269221/jenners_archive.pdf
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