Joscelyne Chase, Braintree
The origins of Joscelyne Chase date back to 1777 and in 1994 it was adjudged by Essex County Council to be the fourth oldest in continuous business in the county.
The Joscelynes have been in Essex for hundreds of years and one of them, Joseph, a baker in Bradford Street Bocking purchased in 1791, 62 High Street Braintree to which his fourth son Benjamin moved his business as a cabinet maker from London.
Henceforth the business was continued by each succeeding eldest son for six generations down to the present Benjamin who retired from the business as recently as 1998. His younger brother Brian also retired shortly after and as there were none of the next generation in the business it was amalgamated with John Chase and Co (another local Chartered Surveyor) to become Joscelyne Chase.
In its very earliest days some 230 years ago, the new business of Benjamin Joscelyne survived by making, restoring and selling furniture mostly for the landed gentry who were the few to afford such luxuries. Gradually the business developed to include the sale of new and second hand furniture, other household goods, china and antiques. In addition to sales over the counter, sales by public auction were held, usually in local hostelries!
Live and deadstock sales were also held and eventually complete properties, mostly farms and manor houses as most workers lived in 'tied' cottages. Thus the property side of the business developed alongside the furniture business which expanded in the early 20th century into no's 60, 62 and 64 High Street, Braintree. House removals and furniture storage sides of the business grew as private home ownership became more widespread. From this developed the property business handling house sales, valuations, surveys for buyers and mortgage lenders until in 1938 the two parts separated, the furniture business becoming Henry Joscelyne Limited and the house agency a private practice run by Hamilton Joscelyne.
When his two sons, Ben and Brian joined their father in 1961 it became a partnership called Joscelyne & Sons and moved to its present premises in Bank Street, built in 1961 on a former bombed site of World War II. Past and present partners have all been members of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and individually and as a firm have a long record of support for the town and local charities. The firm won in 1998 a community supporter award for their consistent involvement in the Braintree area over many years.