OUR HISTORY

1891

It all began in 1745...

Local parish constable, Sebastian Grace, began a blacksmith business on Frogmore Street in Tring, producing mainly farming implements. Towards the early 1800s, this became an ironmongery producing many more household items for the larger dwellings and estates in the area.

Within 50 years, the business progressed from a simple blacksmiths into an establishment employing craftsmen who could design and make almost anything from iron, copper, brass and bronze.

Examples of these can still be seen around town, such as the spiral staircase in the Walter Rothschild Museum on Akeman Street, as well as all other ironwork in the building. Lord Rothschild was sure of what he wanted for the museum, so he personally took Mr. Grace to Paris to study the Eiffel tower, which was used as inspiration.

Ironwork was not the only speciality. By 1840, the availability of paraffin oil for lighting and cooking created the need for additional skills, such as the maintenance and repair of oil lamps and cookers. And when coal gas was being produced at Tring Gas Works on Brook Street, the Grace craftsmen soon became experts at maintaining gas equipment.

Another important part of today's business is the garage. This originally started when Graces were wheelwrights, making iron tyres, and then fitting them onto the wooden wheels, all crafted on site.

Original G Grace & Son on Akeman St.

Gilbert Grace, stood in front of the gates to Tring Park Mansion, which were unfortunately melted down during WWII due to a shortage of materials.

By the 1880's, the motor car had been invented, and Mr. Grace was the first person in Tring to own one. Soon he was providing a local service, taking Lord Rothschild to the station, and carrying a fire alarm around Tring in his car to alert the firemen.

The garage officially began in 1914, delivering 2 gallon petrol cans to the few cars there were in Tring (petrol stations were not around yet). This was done on a trade bicycle, which was also ridden by the most recent owner and decendent of Sebastian, Gilbert Grace, when he was a boy. "With the weight in the front, it was easy to make the back wheel lift. That was just playing about as children do", said Mr. Gilbert Grace. Bicycles were also another skill offered by the company, with parts supplied by Humber, and then the cycles manufactured on site.

During WWII, tractors were only just coming to some farms, but they were unreliable. The Fordson Standard tractor had many weaknesses, but this created a new area of work for us. Clutch problems meant that we had to split the tractor in two and wheel half away. This tractor problem-solving then lead us on to looking after more of the farmer's cars.

Gilbert's father was keen on competing with his car - a Riley RMB - bought in 1948. He was taking it to sprints and hill climbs, and the car was often taken to Silverstone. Gilbert was initially given the job of port polishing (a way of increasing the power fo a vehicle). He then began to help his father with other performance-improving work, helping Gilbert's father win over 400 trophies while competing.

G Grace & Son workers, early 20th Century

Due to a shortage of work in Britain, members of the family went overseas to find work, such as Vancouver; as pictured here in 1904

In 1952, Gilbert's father bought a new model Riley. The year after, the Riley won the Silverstone Grand Prix in its class, coming second overall to Stirling Moss in a Jaguar, which was an incredible achievement for the small garage. This brought in a lot of publicity for Tring, and also a lot more Riley work for the business, with Riley wanting Graces to promote their latest model, the Riley 1.5. Inititially Mr Grace was disappointed as it was a more basic model than their last promotion, but Gilbert modified it himself - he still has the car to this day.

Gilbert Grace was called up for National Service, but failed motor mechaniccs for not knowing one word. Gilbert considered this fortunate, as he was given sessions on aircraft electrics. He was 1 of 3 out of 60 odd men who were talented enough to be given another fitters course, giving the ability to be in charge of 22 fighter aircraft electrics with 4 other mechanics. He served in Cyprus and Aden during the 1956 Suez Crisis.

When Riley Motors finished in 1960, the company moved on to Jaguars as their main specialism. However, Graces has also dealt with many other cars such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, Rolls Royce, Aston Martin and many more over the years.

Family members working on the railways in Vancouver, 1903

Family holiday to the Isle of Wight, courtesy of the zero emission 5 "horse-power" engine

The retail side of the business has been run by various family members, passing from father to son for generations, with the current Victorian premises built for the family and completed in 1891.

The shop has adapted and diversified over the years to best suit the needs of its customers. At one stage, the need for expansion became so great that 66 High Street next door was purchased and expanded into. Much of the 70s and 80s were seen as the business' most prosperous years.

However, due to the growth of out-of-town retail parks, supermarkets and the internet; the industry was proving tough for small independent retailers like Graces.

66 High Street was eventually sold off and the business condensed once again into the 68 High Street property.

With Gilbert being past retirement age and with no likely successor to take over the retail business, he decided the only option was to eventually close for good...

However in 2020, the most recent "son" and Gilbert's grandson - Jordan Grace - had extensive knowledge of the business' long history, so decided to take on the family business. This is where Graces underwent major refurbishment to bring some life back into the establishment.

When lockdown hit in March 2020, this seemed to be the perfect time to embark on the project.

Design & construction of a new roof structure at the Silk Mill, Tring, by G Grace & Son

The workshops of Parsonage Place, which were destroyed by a fire in 1994

Little was known about what was behind some of the fixtures and fittings in the shop, many of which had been installed over a hundred years ago, which made planning the refurb difficult.

Behind boarded up walls, glued down carpet tiles, MDF-covered counter tops and suspended ceiling lay the original Victorian features of the shop hidden underneath.

The refurb sought to bring these back to life with particular care and attention to restore the original counter and wooden floor.

After 3 months and countless hours of labour from builders, carpenters, electricians, plumbers, decorators and Jordan himself; the shop emerged in its former glory with a modern twist.

The shop itself wasn't the only thing that was transformed. A new direction on stock lines and suppliers with particular focus on sustainability, quality and uniqueness was launched as a way to reassert itself as a successful independent retail business in an increasingly competitive industry.

And today, with the 10th generation of the family running it, Graces continues to thrive; undoubtedly due to its hardworking staff and loyal customer base.

Here's to the next 270 years!

An early business card, from Sebastian Grace & Son