John Jempson & Son

1866 finds Joshua Jempson at the start of his horse-drawn timber business. Late 19th century. Arthur John Jempson senior acquires the business from his Uncle Joshua. 1904 Arthur John Jempson junior was born. By 1913, the firm was employing two men and had four horses, Jack, Fanny, Polly and Brownie. By the end of the year, another two men had been... taken on and an extra horse purchased. Arthur Jempson senior, his wife and children, the business and the pig were all based in Hinds Yard, Wish Street, Rye. 1917 Having intentionally failed an exam, Arthur John Jempson junior succeeded in leaving school in March, aged only 13, and began working full time in the family firm. The fleet then consisted of four tipcarts, three open vans, one covered van, a timber tug and a horse landau for carrying passengers. Loads of grain, timber, coal and bricks were being transported to and from the railway station at Rye and locally caught fish were taken from the harbour to Hastings. Young Arthur, known to everyone as John, learned all about running a freight business. John tolerated horses but was fascinated by motor vehicles. He obtained a second-hand Hudson motorbike that he used for his own amusement and to make deliveries on behalf of the firm. By the 1920s, the firm was still reliant on horse haulage and faced increasing competition from other hauliers. John knew that the future lay with motor transport. Eventually he managed to persuade his sceptical father to lend him enough money to buy a Model T Ford lorry to operate as part of the business, on the basis that they share the profits 50:50. The lorry was bought from Hollingsworth, the main Ford agent in Hastings, and they taught John how to drive it in two days. Almost immediately this proved successful. John won new contracts moving loads of beans for local farmers, hauling ballast for road building and carrying tar barrels from the Rye Chemical Works. In less than six months he had earned enough to repay his father, and the following year he replaced his old motorcycle ...Read More