Jenner celebrates 150 years of excellence!
Date: July 2025
Having commenced trading back in 1875, the face of Jenner has significantly changed over the years from our humble beginnings when Charles Jenner originally founded C. Jenner & Sons in Folkestone, and where our operational base remains today. Starting life on Broadmead Road, Folkestone as modest decorators and builders, as the front cover of this edition so aptly depicts (whilst highlighting that health and safety clearly wasn’t high on the agenda back then) and even turning their hand to coffin making would you believe in the early days of trading. Fast-forwarding to the present day and we are now incredibly proud to be an award-winning 160-people-strong business, the largest and longest-standing regional contractor in Kent, and most importantly and thankfully with far better safety measures in place!
In recognition of this all-important year, in reflecting upon the immense heritage of our business and the many years of trading that has undeniably shaped who we are today and given us the strength of reputation of which we are so proud, we have tweaked our branding to honour our monumental 150-year milestone, and which will remain in place throughout the year.
A J E N N E R – A T I O N O F C H A N G E…
The Jenner Timeline
1875 - Charles Jenner forms building company C Jenner & Son Ltd, which operates from Broadmead Road, Folkestone.
1938 - 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 on the new Folkestone Rotunda development which housed the Palace of Amusements and Boating Pool, and which 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 architect for the scheme was Mr D Pleydell-Bouverie and was commissioned by Lord Radnor.
1947 - 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 many of its bomb-damaged buildings including those at Manston and Hawkinge airfields. Fortunately, many of the younger and 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.
1953 - The Royal Oak Motel, Europe’s first motel, was built by C Jenner & Son at Newingreen near Hythe and is believed to be the location of the first ever scene in the television programme Crossroads.
1968 - 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.
1974 - 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, and where it remains to this day. The new shareholders and owners are Managing Director Reg Giles, Simon Pentecost and Tony Pilcher.
1986 - Following the retirement of Director Reg Giles, Simon Pentecost becomes Managing Director and he and Tony Pilcher become the two shareholders of the company.
2000 - 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.
2008 - Martin Sandall becomes Managing Director of Jenner Contractors, and Andy Ralph is invited onto the board. All three become equity partners in the business as part of a non-adversarial Management Buy Out. Jenner is awarded the contract to build 140 flats at Eastern Esplanade, Cliftonville for Accent Peerless and represents the first undertaken by Jenner over £10m in value.
2010 – Dean Elvidge and Geoff Crouch are appointed to the Board of Directors. Dean as Pre-Constructor and Surveying Directors
2015 - Simon Pentecost’s shareholding interest in the business is transferred to the Board of Directors in conclusion of the Management Buy-Out. The business is now run by 6 board members - Martin Sandall, Nick Barnes, Andy Ralph, Geoff Crouch, Dean Elvidge and Darren Welch. Leath Park Developments, headed by Darren Welch, is formed.
2019 - Michael Withers is promoted from Contracts Manager to join the board as a non-shareholding Director to work alongside Nick Barnes as part of the future succession planning for the business
2022 - Jenner proudly completes the build of the World’s first multi-storey Skate park known as F51 in our hometown of Folkestone. Concurrently work is underway to deliver Shoreline (84 new luxury beachfront homes) on the same site as the former Rotunda development completed by Jenner as a European-first in 1938. Alongside this the former division of Jenner known as ‘General Works’ is rebranded to become Park Farm Construction.
2023 - Plumbing and heating contractor Reina is acquired by Jenner and Lee Crumbie joins the Board of Directors as Finance Director.
2024 – Park Farm Civils is launched as a new subsidiary business of Jenner to deliver groundworks services, led by Keith Lamb, and Tim Warren is appointed to the Board of Directors in the role of Development Director following the launch of the new development arm of Jenner, Occasio Land and Homes.
Watch this space….
Later this year we will bring you….
The Big Interview: Simon Pentecost, former Managing Director for over 20 years will talk with current Managing Director Martin Sandall to discuss how Jenner has changed and evolved over the years and will give their own accounts of life at the helm and the highs and lows that leadership brings.
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I will walk…150 Miles: Tracking the Kent Coastline, commencing in Folkestone and concluding in Canterbury, our 150 mile trek will take us past many of our existing and past construction sites and is a chance to walk, talk and reflect in recognising the importance of physical activity and fresh air in ensuring the wellbeing of our people all whilst raising money for local charity ‘Donations with a Difference’. This will take place at a date TBC in September and there will be the opportunity for our stakeholders to get involved by joining us for the different stages we will cover.
