Jackson Sports turns 75-years young

Press release

In 1933, England regained the Ashes, thanks to bodyline tactics; the Berlin Olympic Committee voted to introduce basketball in the upcoming 1936 Olympic games; the first television boxing match, between Archie Sexton and Laurie Raiteri in London, was screened; and the game of Monopoly was invented.

In the same year, Tim Jackson opened MT Jackson in Pietermaritzburg’s Church Street, a sporting goods store that is still a part of the city today, 75 years later. Since 1933 the store has become synonymous with the Pietermaritzburg sports scene, even recruiting a number of famous sportsmen to their team over the years. Cricketers Jackie and Robin McGlew worked at Jackson’s Sports once, as did SA hockey player Greg Nichol and more recently, Springbok rugby’s Butch James. Bob Foss (who played SA Country Districts Cricket) also worked for Jackson Sports and he became a well recognised figure at polo fields around the country.

MT Jackson became a fixture in Church Street for almost 70 years and grew to be a household name in the city. Many residents with children of their own today remember being taken to MT Jackson in Church Street by their parents. The store’s credibility and standing as an establishment for serious sportspeople remained consistent and unchanging over the years. But while their ethos never altered, much else changed in the business.

Six years after opening MT Jackson, Tim Jackson had to turn it over to his business partner, Dare Osborne to manage while he went to North Africa to fight in the Second World War. On his return in 1945, he again took over and ran the business for almost 20 more years, until his death in 1964. Osborne ran MT Jackson until his retirement in 1975, when Tim’s son, Peter (who had been with the company since 1967) took over as senior partner along with his brother Tony Jackson and Bruce Baxter.

1975 was also the year the name changed from MT Jackson to Jackson Sports, a name chosen to better reflect the nature of their business. Five years later, Tony Jackson opened a branch in Durban, followed by another outlet in Westville 4 years after that. Ten years on and the brothers decided to consolidate their own operations, with the Durban branches trading as Tony Jackson Sports and Jackson Sports in Pietermaritzburg retained and run by Peter Jackson.

In 1996 Jackson Sports opened a branch in Victoria Road under the guidance of Bruce Baxter and in 2000, due to changed shopping patterns, they sold their Church Street premises and moved operations to their present location at 240 Victoria Road.

Jackson Sports has always been an authentic sportsperson’s store with deep roots in the local community. Tim Jackson was president of the South African Golf Union, represented Natal in golf and badminton, and played First Class cricket. He was the deputy mayor of Pietermaritzburg and chairman of the Pietermaritzburg Country Club. One of his brothers was AB Jackson, after whom Pietermaritzburg’s hockey fields are named, while his business partner, Dare Osborne was a longstanding secretary of the Maritzburg and District Football Association (MDFA).

The present generation’s involvement in sport is no different. Peter Jackson has played league hockey, tennis, squash and golf, as well as cricket for Old Collegians under Jackie McGlew. His wife, Pat played hockey for Natal, went overseas with the Proteas hockey tour and played tennis for Natal University. They are the proud parents of three children who all excelled at hockey, gaining honours at school and then representing their provinces as well as their country at either tertiary or international level.

Jackson Sports is still a family owned business and the staff they employ are all avid, accomplished sportspeople too, chosen for their ability to give credible and reliable advice to customers.

“It is not often these days that a family business reaches the memorable milestone of 75 years of trading,” said Councilor Bill Lambert, whose family business of Lamberts Outfitters shared a long history with Jackson Sports.

“Jackson Sports is one of those special businesses that has given the people of Pietermaritzburg and its surrounds notable service and maintained high standards of quality merchandise with well trained and informed staff.”

“It is with much pleasure that I extend my warmest good wishes and congratulations on their achievement and I wish Peter Jackson and his firm many more years of successful trading in our Capital City of Choice,” said Lambert.

Jackson Sports is a specialist store concentrating on specialised products for an extensive range of sports, says Peter Jackson. Unlike many other sports stores, they not only sell sporting equipment but can restring racquets, supply new bladders for soccer balls and will even repair tennis nets.

They will also make up exceptional sublimated sports clothing to order, including rugby, cricket, hockey and soccer kits, for teams and the individual. Customers can design their own kit and many clubs and schools have their sports kits made by Jackson Sports, under the Hawk brand.

“We sell all our products with confidence,” says Jackson, “After so many years in the business, suppliers will always back up Jackson Sports’ decision.”

They supply many schools in the area and have outlets that they stock at schools like Hilton College, Michaelhouse, St Charles, Clifton and Treverton.

“We pride ourselves on our service,” said Jackson, “After 75 years it has built us a good customer base and the loyal support of the sporting community.”

“We are grateful for that and for the dedicated people we have on our team.”