Our heritage is incredibly important to us as a long-standing Folkestone based business and one of the longest standing contractors in Kent.
At Jenner we are extremely proud of our heritage and the following time line illustrates those events and projects that have had a significant impact on the history of the company within the context of other interesting events and projects around the world at that time.
Charles Jenner forms building company C Jenner & Son Ltd which operates from Broadmead Road, Folkestone.
The Opera Garnier is completed in Paris
Albert Pentecost purchases the company from Arthur Jenner, the grandson of Charles Jenner and becomes the major shareholder of the company with Percy Trice the minority shareholder. Work is completed by C Jenner & Son on the new Folkestone Rotunda development which housed the Palace of Amusements and Boating Pool. The architect for the scheme was Mr D Pleydell-Bouverie and was commissioned by Lord Radnor. It was famous for being Europe’s largest clear span self supporting reinforced concrete roof structure. The concrete was batched on site and the roof was poured in one continuous pour that took 24 hours to complete.
The steam locomotive Mallard sets the world speed record for steam by reaching 126 mph and Action Comics #1 is published, which is the first publication featuring the comic book character Superman.
The company moves to Alexandra Works in Bouverie Road East. Although many of those working for C Jenner & Son are called up to serve in the Second World War, the company remains operating throughout this period assisting the Ministry of Defence along the south Kent coast to rebuild much of its bomb damaged buildings including those at Manston and Hawkinge airfields. Fortunately many of the younger more able men such as Eddie Newman, Ron Hammond, Jack Philpott and Bill Clayton amongst others return home safely after the War and return to work with the Company. Although the effects of the War meant that companies like C Jenner & Son had plenty of work and a strong labour force, materials were not so readily available.
Alvar Aalto builds the Baker House dormitories at MIT.
The Royal Oak Motel, Europe’s first motel, was built by C Jenner & Son at Newingreen Nr Hythe and is believed to be the location of the first ever scene in the television programme Crossroads.
Completion of the United Nations Headquarters in New York by the design team of Wallace Harrison and Max Abramowitz.
Work is completed on the Pfizer headquarters building in Sandwich. Although the main structure is a steel frame, the entrance canopy is reinforced concrete and is the largest spanning cantilever of its time and spans over the adjacent entrance road. At its peak the site required a workforce of 250.
28 floor 100m high skyscraper the Empress State Building is built in the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham.
The extension to St Saviour’s Hospital, Hythe is completed with the interesting construction technique of the cupola being installed via a helicopter. It took three attempts to install the cupola due to the weather conditions on the day and the fact that the helicopter could only have a light fuel load on board. This meant refuelling was required at Manston Airport before the mission was accomplished.
Seattle Space needle and TWA terminal by Saarinen at JFK are opened.
Tendering against leading national contractors, C Jenner & Sons Ltd are awarded the War Office contract worth £750,000 to rebuild Connaught Barracks, Dover. The two year project requiring a labour force of over 200.
Pioneer curtain wall skyscraper Lever House officially opens in New York City. Later that year in the same city the United Nations begins work in the United Nations Building.
The Company move to Park Farm from its Alexandra Works office in Bouverie Road East following the compulsory purchase of the site by the local authority for town centre redevelopment.
Ronan Point tower block in Newham, East London collapses following a gas explosion. Mies van der Rohe’s New National Gallery in Berlin is finished.
Jenner (Contractors) Ltd is formed following the retirement of Albert Pentecost and Percy Trice. The company moves from its existing office in Park Farm to a new purpose built office named Century House in celebration of its centenary year. The new shareholders and owners are Managing Director Reg Giles, Simon Pentecost and Tony Pilcher.
The Guy’s tower is completed in London making it the tallest hospital building in the world. The tallest building in the world ‘the Sears Tower (now the Willis Tower) was completed in Chicago and remained the tallest building until 1998.
Work is completed on Folkestone Magistrates Court on behalf of Kent County Council. Contracts Manager for the project is Simon Pentecost.
London Underground Jubilee Line was inaugurated. Charles Moore designs the Piazza d’Italia in New Orleans.
The UK and France announce plans to construct the Channel Tunnel. Following the retirement of Director Reg Giles, Simon Pentecost becomes Managing Director and he and Tony Pilcher become the two shareholders of the company.
Channel Tunnel construction begun which they hope to open in the early 1990s. The new Lloyds Building at One Lime Street is officially opened
The Paramedical Studies Building constructed by Jenner for Christ Church College Canterbury is opened by HRH The Princess Royal. The £1m project is to be used by the Occupational Therapy and Radiography degree course students.
One Canada Square becomes the tallest building in England. Stansted Airport terminal building by Norman Foster is completed.
Current directors Martin Sandall and Nick Barnes are invited onto the board and the company celebrates 125 years at the recently completed Bronze Age Boat project at Dover Museum.
The Tate Modern museum, The Emirates Towers in Dubai and the exhibition celebrating the beginning of the third millennium at the Millennium Dome are opened.
Following the retirement of Mick Barton, Derek Kedwell becomes Managing Director of Park Farm Joinery.
Two Norman Foster designed projects are opened, The Gherkin in London and the Millau Viaduct in France.
Jenner completes the £5.5m Chatham High Street project on the site of the old Odeon cinema. The 58 key worker flats and 30 bed hostel set a new benchmark for the company in terms of the size of projects undertaken
Q1 tower in Queensland Australia becomes the world’s tallest all-residential building at the time.
Andy Ralph is invited on to the board and Jenner is awarded the contract to build 140 flats at Eastern Esplanade, Cliftonville for Accent Peerless. The project represents the first undertaken by Jenner over £10m in value. The two year project is due to complete in August 2010.
Water Cube, Bird’s Nest and other buildings in Beijing are completed for the 2008 Olympics.
Darren Welch joins the board as Development Director in November.
Shanghai Tower started on site in China. It’s 632m tall and is China’s tallest building and second tallest in the world.
Simon Pentecost’s shareholding in the business is transferred to the Board of Directors in conclusion of the non adversarial Management Buy Out led by Managing Director Martin Sandall. The business is now run by the 6 members of the board - Martin Sandall, Nick Barnes, Andy Ralph, Geoff Crouch, Dean Elvidge and Darren Welch.
432 Park Avenue in New York is to be completed this year. It will be the tallest residential tower in the western hemisphere and features 104 apartments valued up to $84m.
Michael Withers appointed as a non-shareholding Director to strengthen the Board of Directors.
