SWAIN & JONES LTD

Based in the centre of the market town of Farnham in Surrey, Swain & Jones is one of the oldest remaining family run car dealerships in the country. Today, Swain & Jones represent the Jaguar franchise with the same commitment and high levels of customer service as it has maintained throughout the last century. Offering comprehensive sales, service, parts and body shop facilities, Swain & Jones caters for every customer’s needs. From its multi-award winning sales team, to its highly skilled and experienced team of service technicians, Swain & Jones delivers an industry leading level of customer care that is second to none. Swain & Jones celebrated their 100th anniversary in 2008 and that is an incredible achievement - something that can only be gained by having great insight into customer’s needs, whilst maintaining integrity and loyalty.

In 1908, Frank Swain and John Lewis-Jones joined forces to establish a business as 'motor agents' at East Street, Farnham. At 25 'Jack' Lewis-Jones already had gained vast experience of the motor industry both in the UK and France. In the early years of his career he joined the prestigious Napier and Sons in Acton, West London eventually becoming one of their senior testers. It was here he first met Frank Swain. After four years with Napier, Lewis-Jones then went on to join Darracq at their factory in Suresnes, just outside Paris. He subsequently returned to Britain to become foreman at the Talbot factory in London's Ladbroke Grove. There, he again met up with Frank Swain, who had spent much of the intervening years in Italy at the Genoa works, where the San Giorgio - a localised version of the Napier - was being produced. It was during their time at the Talbot factory they decided to establish Swain & Jones – to be sited on the south side of Farnham's East Street. However, such was there success, space became an increasing problem and they soon outgrew their premises. In 1912/13 four adjoining cottages were demolished to make way for new workshops Additional premises of coach builder William Keen were then acquired. The wooden shop dated back to 1826, with its high close-boarded and tile-hung roof, and remained part of the company's showroom complex until 1976. It is worth mentioning that William Keen previously worked for a nearby wheelwright named George Sturt, who had been established in Farnham since 1810. At the time of Swain & Jones' arrival in 1908, George Sturts Grandson, also named George, was still in business at the opposite side of East Street, from where he traded as Sturt & Goatcher, also building bodies for 'horseless carriages'.