Alfred Robert Grindlay

The Right Worshipful Alfred Robert Grindlay CBE OBE JP
A R Grindlay outside Buckingham Palace, 20 May 1947
Mayor of Coventry
In office 01 January 1941 – 31 December 1941
Councillor for Coventry City Council
In office 1923 – 1962 (39 years)
Personal details
Born	01 February 1876 Coventry, Warwickshire
Died	14 April 1965 (aged 89) Coventry, Warwickshire
Nationality	British
Spouse(s)	Emma Chaplin (m.1896)
Children	Reginald Robert Grindlay Alfred Stephen Grindlay
Occupation	Councillor Industrialist Inventor Justice of the Peace
Awards	Commander of the British Empire Officer of the British Empire Freedom of the City

The Right Worshipful The Mayor of Coventry Alfred Robert Grindlay CBE, OBE, JP (01 February 1876 - 14 April 1965) was a English inventor, industrialist and official during the 19th and 20th centuries. He is renowned for co-founding Grindlay Peerless, the world record breaking motorcycle engineering company and his prominent role in regional government including his mayorship of Coventry during WWII and the Coventry Blitz.^[1][2][3][4]

Early life

Grindlay was born in Coventry, England in 1876, the fifth child of six and second son of William Grindlay (1843-1881) an established watch artisan. Upon leaving school, Grindlay joined a local cycle firm and began learning the skills he would employ to great effect later in his career.^[3]

At the age of 20, Grindlay married Emma Chaplin in St Paul's Church, Coventry on the 7th of September 1896, starting his family in 1899 when the first of his two sons was born.^[5]

By 1901, Grindlay was working at Riley Cycle Company, one of the major firms in Coventry at that time. Grindlay progressed steadily within the company, until 1911, while working as a foreman at Riley Cycle Company, he applied for a patent (24,683) regarding 'improved means for carrying spare wheels' for motorcars. That same year Grindlay left Riley Cycle Company and took over the Coventry Motor & Sundries business, establishing Grindlay Sidecars, which quickly became known for its "extremely high quality" machines.^[6][7]

During WWI he combined forces with Thomas Edward Musson (b.1875) founding Musson & Grindlay, specialising in Sidecar production. However, parting ways with Musson in 1923, Grindlay established Grindlay Peerless.

Motor industry

Formed in 1923, Grindlay Peerless operated out of Melbourne Works on Shakleton Road in Spon End, Coventry, entered into the wider motorcycle market in the early 1920s and began making high-powered machines. Like the Grindlay Sidecars before them, the motorcycles became renowned for their exceptional production quality and power, but were also recognised for their technological advances and innovative engineering, which included utilising early aircraft design features.^[7][8]

The company won worldwide acclaim when CWG 'Bill' Lacey became the first man to exceed a 100 miles in an hour on British soil in August 1928 aboard his modified 498cc Grindlay Peerless.^[9] The bike covered 103.9 miles in the hour at Brooklands racing circuit, in Surrey to secure a Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) world record.

In 1929, Bill Lacey broke the record again on his Grindlay Peerless, by covering 105.78 miles in the hour at Autodrome deLinas-Montlhéry, Montlhéry, in France.^[10]

Government

A R Grindlay escorting Winston Churchill through the ruins of Coventry Cathedral in September 1941 after it was severely damaged during the Coventry Blitz

In addition to his contribution to the British motor industry, Grindlay was a prominent Coventry City Council member. Joining the council in 1923, he dedicated much of his life to improving the lives of the citizens of Coventry and wider Warwickshire.

During the WWII, in 1941, Grindlay was appointed Mayor of Coventry. He presided over Coventry during the notorious period of the Coventry Blitz that saw 230 bombers attack the city, drop 315 tons of high explosive and 25,000 incendiaries during the April 1941 attack. Grindlay led much of the early work to rebuild the city following the 1941 bombing and a large portion of the city owes its design origins to his directives.^[1]

Grindlay House in Windsor Street was name so in his honour.^[11]

Public honours

In 1943, Grindlay was made an Officer of the British Empire (OBE) for his work as Chairman of the Coventry Saving Committee and Chairman of the City Redevelopment Committee.^[11][12]

Three years later in 1946 he was made a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) for his service to the nation and personally commended for his efforts by King George VI. The formal investiture took place on Tuesday the 20th of May 1947 at Buckingham Palace.^[2][3]

Later life

Having been a Coventry City Councillor for nearly 39 years, Grindlay was award the Freedom of the City on 15th of November 1962.^[13][14] His award is described by Coventry City Council as being "in recognition of his eminent and devoted service to the city during a period of unprecedented municipal development and as a token of public esteem".^[13]

Grindlay died in Coventry in 1965 aged 89 years.^[15]

Grindlay family

Coat of Arms associated with the English branch of the Grindlay family (b&w version) Shield: Quarterly, or and az, cross quarterly erm. and of the first, betw. four pheons countercharged of the field. Crest: A pea-hen ppr. Motto: Non degener

Alfred Robert Grindlay was born into the eminent Midlands centred Grindlay family, who's presence in the region can be traced back to the 13th century. Reputed to be decended from William de Grenlay (1275),^[16][17] most recently, the English branch of the Grindlay family were prominent British bankers (see Grindlays Bank), officials, industrialists and Freemasons during the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries.^{[1][2][18][19]}

Other branches of the Grindlay family exist in Scotland, including Edinburgh based leather magnates and landowners of the 18th and 19th centuries,^[20] and in the United States (see James G Grindlay), highly decorated Unionist participants in the American Civil War following emigration from the United Kingdom during the 19th Century.^[21]

See also

• Derwent Island House, one of a number of residences of the Grindlay family during the 20th century
• Grindlay Peerless
• Notable persons associated with Grindlay Peerless
• History of Coventry
• Coventry Blitz
• Grindlays Bank

Notes

1. 1 2 3 "www.historiccoventry.co.uk". 
2. 1 2 3 McGrory, David. Coventry's Blitz. Amberley Publishing Limited. 
3. 1 2 3 Kimberley, Damien (2012). Coventry's Motorcar Heritage. History Press Limited. 
4. ↑ "www.coventry.gov.uk". 
5. ↑ "Foleshill St Paul Marriages 1886 - 1902" (PDF). 
6. ↑ "Grace's Guide to British Industrial History". 
7. 1 2 Jackson, Colin (2013). Classic British Motorcycles. Fonthill Media. 
8. ↑ "www.realclassic.co.uk". 
9. ↑ "www.bonhams.com". 
10. ↑ "VMCC Warwickshire (Extract)" (PDF). 
11. 1 2 Gould, Jeremy. The Architecture of the Plan for Coventry (1940 to 1978). Jeremy and Carline Gould Architects. 
12. ↑ "www.thegazette.co.uk". 
13. 1 2 "www.coventry.gov.uk". 
14. ↑ "The National Archives". 
15. ↑ "Roots Web". 
16. ↑ Reaney, Percy (1958). A Dictionary of English Surnames. Routledge. 
17. ↑ Hanks, Patrick (2016). The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland. Oxford University Press. 
18. ↑ "RBS Heritage Hub". 
19. ↑ "History of Stivichall Lodge". 
20. ↑ Rodger, Richard (2001). The Transformation of Edinburgh - Land, Property and Trust in the Nineteenth Century. Cambridge University Press. 
21. ↑ Brainard, Mary Genevie Green (1915). Campaigns of the One Hundred and Forty-sixth Regiment, New York State Volunteers. New York and London: G. P. Putnam's Sons.