History Of Godfreys
Godfreys was founded in November 1933 by Sir William Godfrey. W M Godfrey and Partners started life supplying sprayers and Allen Scythes to local fruit growers from a small flat in Tonbridge. It soon relocated to a site in Petteridge, Brenchley, where it grew to be one of the largest horticultural equipment suppliers in the UK.
W M Godfrey & Partners set up satellite stores in Sellinge and Sevenoaks and represented Ransomes and other leading brands of the day. The company was also involved in milking machines and the manufacturing of generators. It was bad export sales to Nigeria, the dry summer of 1976 that eventually brought a halt to W M Godfrey & Partners in 1980 after 47 years of trading.
The site in Sevenoaks was purchased and re-instated as a garden machinery business, with the name changing to just, Godfreys. Under new ownership, Godfreys grew to become a leading regional retailer in the garden machinery industry, however in 1995 a devastating fire destroyed much of the Old Otford Road site. Godfreys re-emerged 250 meters down the road, after acquiring DPTS house. After an extensive remodel, the 18,000 sq.ft. store opened in June 1996.
1998 saw the joint venture start between Bat & Ball Sports and Godfreys. Bat & Ball Sports is located on the first floor of Otford Road and is a specialist sports equipment and clothing retailer. Bat & Ball Sports has tripled it's turnover since the JV started and is a leading sports retailer in the region with exclusive agreements with Sevenoaks Rugby Football Club, Sevenoaks Hockey Club and Sevenoaks Swimming Club.
In 1998, Godfreys was appointed John Deere Turfcare dealer for Kent and South-East London. Godfreys market to the golf, local authority, sports turf, contractor and estate business, selling this premium range of products from John Deere.
The business was sold to a former employee in 2005 and together with a loyal team has seen the company grow further.
Godfreys.com was launched in 2007 and now Godfreys offer thousands of products available for sale on-line. In 2009 in the teeth of the recession, Godfreys purchased Palmer's Turfcare, based in Hailsham. Palmer's were the John Deere Turfcare dealer for the whole of Sussex and operated out of a new facility on the A22, Palmers Turfcare has now been re-branded Godfreys, with all the staff transferred over. We now have two major locations and we cover three counties and South-East London for John Deere and other associated brands making us one of John Deere's largest UK Turfcare dealer. Both sites have large, clean showrooms displaying a huge range of equipment, clothing, tools, BBQ's and much more.
Godfreys was set up in 1933 with the following ethos: “a refusal to sell the next best, if the best was not available” (as expressed by founder, Sir William Godfrey) and 77 years later we still stand by these words.
