A Little Slice of Sawdust: Fun Facts About Jersey’s Cabinet-Making Heritage

Ever wondered what Jersey and fine cabinetry have in common?More than you’d think. In fact, our little island has a surprisingly rich woodworking past — the kind of history that makes us cabinet-makers stand a little taller (even when we’re covered in MDF dust).

Let’s take a stroll through the wood-shavings of time…

Traditional Jersey Boat building.

Jersey’s First Cabinet-Makers… Came From the Sea?

Back in the early 1700s, some of the island’s finest hands weren’t building kitchens — they were building ships.Ship carpenters and joiners had serious skills: precision, structure, problem-solving, and a healthy relationship with splinters.

When shipbuilding slowed, these craftsmen didn’t pack up their chisels — they pivoted.From hulls to homes, many turned to furniture and cabinetry, and the island’s woodworking trade was born.

Local Furniture Was So Good… England Wanted It

By the late 18th and early 19th century, Channel Islands furniture was being shipped across to England.

Not bad for a small island, right?

Why? Because importing raw timber into England was heavily taxed — but finished furniture wasn’t.So Jersey makers said, “Alright then, we’ll make the furniture here and send it finished.”And suddenly, the island became a mini furniture-export hub.

Jersey Didn’t Just Make Furniture… It Made Fancy Furniture

• Early pieces were solid oak — the tough stuff.But by the mid-1700s, Islanders were getting stylish:

  • Walnut

  • Veneers

  • And by around 1770 — mahogany

  Yes, mahogany.On Jersey.

  Imagine telling your carpenter neighbour that in 1770.

  
  
  
  
  
  

Jersey craftsman shaping wood in a traditional cabinet-making workshop

A Jersey Cabinet-Maker Even Earned Royal Approval

One of the best-known names from the island’s woodworking past is Le Gallais, founded in 1825 by a young cabinet-maker.

During a royal visit, they were asked to furnish chairs for the assembly chamber — and they impressed the Crown enough to earn a warrant of approval.

Not bad for a small team working with hand tools, candlelight… and no CNC machines.

You’re Part of a 300-Year Tradition When You Choose Local

Here’s the real magic:When someone in Jersey chooses bespoke cabinetry today, they’re tapping into a craft that’s been alive on the island for over three centuries.

From the shipwrights of the 1700s…to the furniture exporters of the 1800s…to the island’s modern workshops (complete with laser lines, CNCs, and biscuit-joiner battles)…

This little island has always had a talent for woodwork.

Why We Love This Story

Because it reminds us of something simple:

Cabinetry in Jersey isn’t just a job — it’s a heritage.And every custom kitchen, wardrobe, and piece of fitted furniture carries a bit of that history forward.

Plus, it’s a great excuse to talk about mahogany like it’s 1770 again.