FISHER STREET/BECKTON ROAD, CANNING TOWN, E16
The first shop run by the Grimstead family was Beckton Road, which due to its corner site position was known as ‘Grimstead’s Corner’. This name would be familiar to the locals and was proudly painted on the wall above the shop entrance.
It was purchased and opened in 1908 by Robert Grimstead as a bike shop selling and renting bicycles by the hour. Robert and his wife Elizabeth had eight children (four girls, four boys). To bring in more money and to provide employment for his sons, Robert also owned three limousines, a Minerva and two Rolls Royces. These would be hired out and chauffeur-driven by Robert’s four sons – Bob (Roger Grimstead’s father), Eddy Snr (father of the Eddy Grimstead of scooter shop fame), Charlie and Frank. These members of the Grimstead clan also helped in the shop. Robert, at a later period, left the running of the shop to Eddy Grimstead Snr (the eldest of his brood), but with the help of Eddy Jnr’s brother, Peter. By then it was a bicycle sale/ hire and moped shop; somewhat later it went on to sell scooters.
Robert Grimstead died in 1940. This left his widow, Elizabeth, to run the shop with the help of her son Charlie Grimstead. In the late 60s, Mrs Grimstead gave over the shop to Charlie and Eddy Snr, who bought his younger brother out in the early 70s.
The colours of the now famous Imperial/ Hurricane legshield badges of red, black and white with the ‘Eddy Grimstead’ script were based on the same colours as the paintwork adorning the outside of the Beckton Road shop. Roger Grimstead, Eddy Jnr’s cousin, has stated that there were, despite modern views to the contrary, no other colour combinations.
The shop was finally closed due to redevelopment in 1972 (this date is based on Roger Grimstead’s memory).
Purchased by Eddy and both renovated and then run by Roger Grimstead. This would prove to be convenient, as Roger was about to marry, so Roger and Pat (his intended) could live in the flat above. The shop was duly opened on January 1, 1956 and originally sold Vespa, NSU Jawa, Mobylette, Itom machines plus any make of used motorcycle. New Lambrettas were available, but had to come from the Burdett Road shop; also, they could not be displayed, as Rancliffe Road was not at that time a Lambretta agency, or ‘Concession’, as they were referred to. Roger originally ran the shop on his own, but (after four months) he told Eddy that he needed help; and that’s when George Blower joined Roger’s team. George had previously worked with Roger at Burdett Road as a ‘boy help and learner’. Roger later employed a salesman, John Taylor, who’d also previously worked at Burdett Road. Roger now wanted a ‘parts man’ and a suitable candidate came to his attention when he was buying a scooter windscreen from Godfrey’s in Forest Gate, where he was very impressed by the parts person who was serving him, Malcolm Perrett; in passing, Roger asked Malcolm if he’d like to work for Grimstead’s for £2 a week more than the £10 a week Godfrey’s were paying – he duly started the following week.
By 1958, Roger’s shop was at last operating as a Lambretta Agency, selling the new Li Series 1. Roger could sell as many Series 1s as Lambretta Concessionaires could supply – as many as 12-15 on a Saturday alone. Grimstead’s sales pitch included finance on a new purchase with no deposit terms and up to four years to pay.
Business was so good that Grimstead’s took the opportunity to purchase the shop next door to allow for more sales space. Unfortunately, the local council refused planning permission for the sale of motorcycles at this new premises. At this point, and not to be put off, Roger offered to look for other suitable locations. This proposal was agreed by Eddy, so Roger started investigating and found that 263-5 Barking Road, East Ham was available. This relatively large premises fitted in with Grimstead’s programmed expansion and, happily, suitable planning consent was also possible.
It was at Rancliffe Road where Roger started spraying scooters in his own palette of colours. This was some years before the Hurricane/ Imperial project was launched to the public. The first machines to be given Roger’s ‘Grimstead treatment’ were the much in demand Vespa GS150s. Roger initially picked up the art of spraying by two-toning the headset, horncast, ‘bubbles’ and mudguard of these classic Vespas. Facilities available to Roger and his helper, George Blower, were to say the least, a bit primitive – he utilised an old shed in the back of his Rancliffe Road shop and, without the protection of a face mask, was forced to hold his breath while the spray gun was in use. Roger would then have to run outside to gasp in a lungful of fresh East End air to prevent being overcome by the cellulose fumes. This also resulted in the shop having to be similarly evacuated by all four members of staff due to the same problem.
This premises later became a betting shop.
Opening in 1962, this was to become the biggest of the Grimstead scooter shops. Grimstead’s acquired a Lambretta Concession at Barking Road in the same year. Within a few years of the original shop opening, Eddy purchased the shop unit next door to further increase the company’s sales potential for when they took on Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha and Kawasaki products – this potential sales influx included items such as scooters, motorcycles, motocross bikes and generators.
During this period and in Roger’s words: “The world was our oyster with, from memory, the best year being 1986 when we sold 3750 new and used units. In the mid-60s we also sold Reliant, Isetta, Trojan and Bond (three-wheelers), both new and used.”
The scooter shop was managed by Roger Grimstead and finally closed in 1994 due to the fall in sales of bikes, scooters and motorbikes due to the change in the local population demographic. It is now three separate shops.
Eddy also purchased three showrooms locally in the early 70s that included the Warwicks car and motorcycle showrooms opposite the Barking Road shop – to sell Datsun cars – and also the Godfrey’s motorcycle shop, now both sold.
Previously the showroom of Albons, a Lambretta dealer and main agent for Hillman, Rover, Humber and Triumph cars, all as mentioned in detail in an earlier article. Albons’ business was rented out to Grimstead’s for £200 per week in May 1966. The agreement was part of the original offer to sell all of Albons’ remaining Lambrettas and spares, allowing the premises to trade under the Grimstead name as a car sales outlet only and to be run by Eddy Grimstead himself, as he was tiring of the motorcycle/bicycle trade at this stage.
The site was later redeveloped and at present there is a large care home at that address.