SINCE 1904
A BRIEF HISTORY OF JEFFERS OF BANDON
1904
It all started over 100 years ago when John Jeffers, Alex's great great grandfather, opened a general store on Bandon's South Main St. With his sons, Percy and Jasper, John began to build the business - including a retail grocery business, a wholesalers, a bakery, an auctioneer's office and an animal feeds business - and soon the name Jeffers of Bandon was well known throughout west Cork, with a fleet of vans, delivering to shops and farms throughout the county.
When Percy died, Jasper took over the auctioneering business and Jasper's sons Edward and Travers became the third generation of Jeffers to work in the business. By this time a provender milling business had been added - driven by a 75HP Petters twin diesel engine. It was the custom to purchase grain from farmers, store it and then mill it for animal feed stuffs during the year. Maize was imported and for a time unloaded at Kilmacsimon Quay and brought to Bandon on Sentinel steam lorries.
1943
Two generations of Jeffers with an old horse drawn van powered by Tomby the horse, delivering bread in 1943. from left, J. Edward Jeffers, Alan Jeffers, Peter Jeffers.
In 1955, John Jeffers' great grandson Peter joined the company, after spending four years with different companies in Dublin and Wales learning the business. It was he who planned and introduced Munster's first ever self-service supermarket, when Jeffers of Bandon unveiled its new shop in the early sixties. Then in 1968 an Electrical and Television business was opened at 10 South Main Street, and in 1971, a music department was added, dealing in pianos and organs.
1971
The Jeffers Music Showroom in with a classic Hammond organ in the foreground.
Soon, Jeffers were one of the country's leading suppliers of organs and pianos, installing organs in hundreds of churches throughout Ireland, and supplying Cork's new Opera House with its first piano.
Today
But it was only when the fifth generation - Peter's sons Alex and David Jeffers - joined the business that the Jeffers music department really began to grow and expand. Peter encouraged Alex to go to Wales to study as a piano technician and tuner, and Alex returned fully qualified and full of his own ideas. Soon more staff were added to this department and the music business began to flourish. A Steinway grand piano was purchased for hire work, and this fine instrument was soon in demand for many concerts and broadcasts throughout the country. Today, Jeffers have several of these Steinway pianos constantly on the road, being played by famous pianists from Ireland and abroad.
David Jeffers continued with the classical digital organ side of the business including the sales, service & hire of these instruments. Over the past 50 years Jeffers have installed over 900 organs in churches across the 32 counties of Ireland. Jeffers are agents for Ireland's most popular organ builder, Viscount Organs. Viscount Organs are built in Italy using the most up to date technology. We have an organ showroom in the Bandon premises. The dedicated organ website is www.jeffersmusic.ie.
Image courtesy of Jonathan Tyner
The piano business includes a large showroom with a huge inventory of different pianos, and a fully equipped workshop which is the largest piano repair workshop in Ireland. Manager Jonathan Smyth heads up a team of qualified tuners and technicians, overseeing the repair, reconditioning and rebuilding of pianos for concert halls, schools, leading musicians and private customers. Customers are always welcome to visit the showrooms where many other instruments are available, including guitars, amplification, keyboards, digital pianos and music books – and tours of the workshop can be arranged for anyone interested in seeing our craftsmen at work.