The Alan & Iris Jaffray Collection
28th June 2024
Gardiner Houlgate are privileged to present the Alan & Iris Jaffray Collection (Part I) to include the 'Remaining Trading Stock of A&I Jaffray Antiques of Melksham, Wiltshire'.
During the war in 1940, Alan was evacuated from Birmingham to Melksham during the blitz. He stayed at the Labour Club, Melksham where his aunt worked, now the Market Tavern public house. Iris lived next door in the antique shop and being just 11 and 9 years old they became friends and played together as the two families became close and spent a lot of time together.
After the war Alan and Iris stayed in contact and became romantically involved and eventually went on to marry on the 31st July 1949.
Following the death of Iris’s mother, Eliza Townsend in 1954, Alan and Iris took over the antiques business, F. Townsend Antiques and they gradually built A & I Jaffray Antiques with their savings of £30. The business was just a front shop, yard and tin shed mainly selling ‘bric-á brac’. They went on to buy the rear showroom in the early 1960's, which used to be the function room of the Labour Club, followed by two prefabricated houses from Lowbourne when they were being demolished to form another showroom which remain still today. The business developed and became an established antiques exporter.
Their daughter Sue recalls many fond memories of growing up in the business assisting with the house clearances at a very young age and later working full-time in the business during the 1980s.
After a short illness, Alan passed away in April 2022, sadly followed by Iris on the 20th July 2024. Her funeral was held on the 31st July 2024 which would have marked their 75th Wedding Anniversary.
PART I - 26th & 27th September 2024 - The Remaining Trading Stock - View Sales
PART II - 24th October - Barometers, Carriage Clocks & Longcase Clocks
PART III - 22nd November 2024 - The Personal Treasures
Included in the September sales will be his complete trading stock consisting of over 850 lots; with clocks and barometers being offered in October and his 'Personal Treasures' being offered in November 2024, to include a very fine collection of edged weapons and antique firearms
Further details of the sales will follow shortly.
Below are some photographs, one with Alan with some of his fellow dealers and Friends taken in the early 1980s, also others showing the business in full swing with his beloved wife Iris and daughter Sue looking after the daily affairs.
