Richard Hunter Jeff was born in 1856 the son of Hull wine & spirit merchant Richard Jeff (Geo. Jeff & Co), and Anne Hedley Hunter, both of whom died whilst he was still relatively young.
In 1880 he formed a Seed & Corn Merchant company at Baltic Buildings in High St with his friend George Johnston, which became very successful, and continued trading in Hull until quite recently. The company of Johnston & Jeff still trade in bird seed to this day.
He married his wife Florence (nee Allison) in 1884 and they had 3 children, he lived the majority of his life on Anlaby Road primarily at West Parade Tce near Landsdowne St, adjacent to the Western General Hospital, and later at 341 Anlaby Road adjacent to St Matthew’s Church at the top of Boulevard.
Both Richard Hunter Jeff and his partner, George Johnston, were active members of the Fish St Memorial Congregational Church on Princes Ave. Richard retired from the business in 1924, he died at 341 Anlaby Road in September 1936 aged 80, his business partner, George, had died 2 years earlier. His wife, Florence died in London in 1945 aged 86.
Richard’s and his wife’s ashes were placed in the family grave in Hull General Cemetery and are recorded on the headstone which still exists near the Thomas Holmes grave.
