E W Grimes And Co Ltd: Grimes was the last of its kind

L to R:Commander Grimes, his wife Patty, his sister Majorie Grimes, founder’s wife Emily Grimes, secretary Miss Branson, a staff member and (far right) his daughter Trisha Robins in the 1950s

The wedding of Lt-Commander Grimes to Patty Price in 1932

Gwen Swainson (left) in her New Look dress

Commander Richard Grimes, son of founder Ernest Grimes

Emily Grimes, wife of the store’s founder, Ernest Grimes

More than half a century ago shopping used to be a weekly event undertaken by ladies who would get dressed up, put on a hat, catch a bus to town, meet a friend, lunch at a store restaurant and return home in time for tea. It is an era long since gone but is still recalled by many. Pat Parkin looks back at one of Derby’s favourite drapery stores of the last century

While Derby had plenty of large departmental stores like Midland Drapery, Ranby’s and Barlow Taylors, it was shops like family drapers E W Grimes & Co Ltd, in St Peter’s Street, which were the favourites with the shopping public.

Grimes served its customers faithfully for more than 60 years and was never run by anyone other than members of the family who lived in Littleover and later in Duffield.

The customer was always right and nothing was ever too much trouble for the staff who served haberdashery, clothing, bed linen, millinery and much more, to the numerous well-to-do families in the area. Customers loved it and the staff felt they were most fortunate to work for one of the friendliest of family stores.

It had first opened its doors in 1897, while Queen Victoria was still on the throne, when Ernest William Grimes came to Derby from Bath where he had worked in drapery. He took a shop in St Peter’s Street and set up home upstairs. He also opened a small branch at Borrowash.

Assisted by his wife, Emily, Ernest set about establishing the shop as an important part of the retail scene in Derby which was developing into a busy hub, thanks to local industries like the railways. As the business grew, so did the premises, gradually expanding into three adjoining shops.

The couple ran the business very successfully until 1941 when Mr Grimes died suddenly. As their son, Commander Dick Grimes, was away, serving with the Royal Navy, Mrs Grimes took the helm until he returned in 1945 to take over as managing director.

Swapping the high seas for the high street was not an easy transition for him, but he worked tirelessly and brought a fresh new approach to the business which, like many during the war, had become somewhat benign.

His mother adopted a more back-room role, though continuing to work from nine till five every day and keeping a constant watching eye on the stock and prices.

Former employee Gwen Swainson (75), of Chaddesden, worked behind the counter at Grimes for three years at the end of the Second World War and says it was one of the happiest times of her young life.

“I can still see Mrs Grimes walking down the big stairway in the shop, wearing a long black dress and peering at the price labels of the goods on display. She was quite formidable in the way older ladies were to young girls, but she was very kind and everyone liked her. It was a super place to work, like being part of one big happy family.”

When Gwen started in 1945 – she was then Miss Green – she says she would never have bought her clothes there because it seemed “a bit old-fashioned”.

But, as Commander Grimes took over, things changed. She recalls him complimenting her one day when she was wearing a multi-coloured dress with a much longer hemline than had been worn during the war, saying: “Is that what they call the New Look?”

“I was very impressed and the clothes department did begin to improve. My elder sister, Kathleen, came to work there, while she was waiting to join her husband in Canada. I remember she told me about this new fashion of wearing a jumper and a cardigan together, which was called a twin-set. She bought me one from Grimes.”

Despite it being a friendly place to work, there was always a thoroughly professional atmosphere and no-one used their Christian names.

“Except me, because the buyer on fancy goods was also Miss Green, so I was called Miss Gwen. We really enjoyed it there. Every afternoon, one of the juniors was sent to the cake shop to buy cakes for us all to have during our tea break. Unfortunately, this ended when bread rationing came into being and cakes became scarce.”

Among her old colleagues, Gwen remembers Rita Taylor who worked on the cash desk.

“I joined her there and every morning, promptly at 11.15am, we used to take the previous day’s takings to the bank until the Commander took over. He said we had to change our route each day in case someone tried to rob us as we were walking down St Peter’s Street.

“Things became a bit more up-to-date when he took charge, but the family atmosphere carried on.”

Many of the customers were well-off ladies and dressmakers who came in to buy fabrics, ribbon, embroidery, silks, cottons, buttons, needles and pins.

Gwen recalls the office Miss Branson being in charge of the office, Mr and Mrs Les Hancock running the materials department with Jack Draper, and Miss Field being head of haberdashery, where they sold beautiful collars, cuffs and jabots which were popular items to brighten up wartime clothing.

“Further into the shop was the glove counter, where beautiful suede and leather gloves were on sale and, at Christmas, fur-lined and fur-backed gloves and mittens. But they were so expensive they were bought mainly by American servicemen, as they seemed to be the only people who could afford to pay £5 or more.”

Gwen remembers the red-letter day when she bought her first bra at Grimes after persuasion from a friend.

“But not before we had deep discussions on whether it should be worn under, or over, my vest,” she laughed.

Post-war businesses began to change and, by Christmas 1956, Commander Grimes decided the family could no longer continue to run the business as they had done previously. New rating assessments were soaring and affecting profits, so the store was forced to close and the premises were sold.

“I think this type of business has more or less had its day. This in-between type of shop is rather out of fashion,” he commented.

His mother, who had continued to work every day until the closure, died three months later just before her 94th birthday.

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