Jaques of London, formerly known as John Jaques of London and Jaques and Son of London is a long-established family company that manufactures sports and game equipment.
Dating itself from 1795 when Thomas Jaques, a farmer’s son of French Huguenot descent, set up as a "Manufacturer of Ivory, Hardwoods, Bone, and Tunbridge Ware”, the company gained a reputation for publishing games under his grandson John Jaques the younger, in particular:
Chess - Jaques had exclusive manufacturing rights for a chess set designed by Nathaniel Cooke in 1849 and named the Staunton chess set after Howard Staunton. This set later became the official international standard.Tiddledy-Winks - the first publishers starting in 1888Snakes and Ladders - the first publishers starting in 1888Croquet - played an important role in popularising the game, producing editions of the rules in 1857, 1860, and 1864Clock golf - Jaques assert that they originated the game in the mid 19th centuryTable tennis - pioneered under the names Gossima and later Ping PongHappy Families - popular card game, developed in 1851Ludo - patented in England 1897Shove ha'penny - is a pub game in the shuffleboard family, played predominantly in the United Kingdom.