AU34/20/1/6/1

"The Grimmer Girls"

1939 to 1945, 2001

From: 1939 To: 2001

"Supplementary notes on the wartime role of "The Grimmer Girls" and others referred to in Barry Dackome's study on Flitt Motor Co [AU34/20/1/6]. NOTE: Pre 1920s all petrol was stored in cans in shed at bottom of yard (later aeroplane shed) and had to be carried up by the can-full on demand. The three older girls did much fetching and carrying. My mother reckoned the fumes from the petrol kept away the germs and saved them having many of the juvenile ailments their contempories suffered. The two petrol pumps in the yard came first, then two in the main road, but were unused from the time of the opening of the filling station in Bedford Street in 1938. There were four pumps there, Shell, Esso, National Benzole and BP - on the sort of 'free house' principle. On the outbreak of war, the outer pumps (Shell & BP I think) were made over to the universal 'Pool' petrol. One of the other pumps was used by the NFS exclusively and the other by the army from time to time. In both these, the petrol was dyed to prevent misappropriation. DAUGHTERS of AE and Annie Grimmer in WWII: 1) Honora Patricia Annie (Nora) 1900-1991 [AU34/21] - Teacher at National School. Brownies. Civil Defence. Started St John Cadets in Ampthill. Bad eyesight (virtually blind in one eye). Had driving licence since age 14 but rarely drove after c.1920. Never served petrol or worked in family business at this time. 2) Lily May born 1904 [AU34/22] - Housekeeper. Guides (ran the Flitwick troop). Civil Defence etc. During this period never worked in shop or sold petrol. Had licence from aged 14 but didn't drive until after AEG's death (following coaching from Ron Swannell). I remember her taking tray with jug of tea and mugs down to the workshop each afternoon about 4pm. (The family, including my grandfather and Miss Handby had formal sit-down tea with bread & butter, cake etc. at 4pm. Miss Handby had her regular chair which after her departure was adopted by Aunt Nora being, I supposed, the eldest.) 3) Ena Mary (by this time Mrs Underwood and my mother) 1907-1977 [AU34/23] was at home with my sister [Rosemary] at 41 Bedford Street and in poor healt much of the time, which was why I spent so much time with my grandparents. Had driving licence but did not drive during this period, although lethal when she later tried! Not formally/practically involved with the Flitt business, except through my father ['Ran' Underwood.] 4) Eva Jane Swaffield (Jane) 1911-1978 [AU34/27] - Mrs Bowles from 1945 - worked full-time for the business, succeeding Miss Handby in the office. Company Secretary when it went Ltd in 1943. Served petrol (Bedford Street) and served in shop on Market Square. Was competent driver who with other family members and employees - plus Simon Houfe's mother - drove the firm's hire cars - much in demand with all private cars laid up for the duration. 5) Margery Bertha (Madge) born 1912 [AU34/27/2] - Mrs Nightall from 1944. Worked in Bedford (Bell & Co, Lime Street) as a qualified accountant (unusual in those days) but was involved with the business behind the scenes serving petrol at the weekends. Competent driver. Jane and Madge were both qualified pilots with the Civil Air Guard, both on standby but never called out. The latter was the first woman to gain a licence. Her CAG uniform in Shuttleworth Collection. AEG's Home Guard uniform is in Luton Museum, although I never saw him wearing it. (He was on call as a driver, but I suspect his work in the Machine Shop, as we called it) took precedence. My Grandfather and I used to open the filling station at 10am on Sunday mornings and close before lunch. I was experienced from aged 10 at serving customers (no self-service in those days) - petrol, oil, 'Adcoids', UCL, air etc. Petrol 1s 11d a gallon (just under 10p). Coupons necessary. Tips good! With Joan Richardson in the office (and staffing the B.S. filling station) were two young girls - school leavers - Irene Norris and Edna (I think) Sherwood from Steppingley. They biked to work, of course - everybody biked everywhere at this time. There was also Ella Pickering, a cousin of my father's from Potton way, who came to live with his parents and sister at 'Leafield' in Baker Street. She worked on the munitions for a time and then qualified as a vulcaniser repairing tyres on a new machine installed amidst the stored cars in the B.S. showrooms. Long after the war she married a man named Ford - don't know where she is now." AGU - 16th January 2001

item

Grimmer, Albert Edward,
Flitt Motor Company,
Flitt Cycle Company,
Dackombe, Barry,
Underwood, Andrew,
Grimmer, Annie,
Grimmer, Honora Patricia Annie,
Grimmer, Nora,
Grimmer, Lily May,
Grimmer, Ena Mary,
Underwood, Ena Mary,
Grimmer, Eva Jane,
Grimmer, Jane,
Bowles, Eva Jane,
Bowles, Jane,
Grimmer, Margery Bertha,
Grimmer, Madge,
Nightall, Margery Bertha,
Nightall, Marjorie Bertha,
Nightall, Madge,
Handby, Annie,
Richardson, Joan,
Norris, Irene,
Sherwood, Edna,
Pickering, Ella,
Ford, Ella,
Swannell, Ron,
Underwood, Ran,
Underwood, Frank Randall,
Houfe, Simon,
Shell Petroleum Co. Ltd.,
Esso Limited,
National Benzole Company Ltd,
British Petroleum Company Limited,
St John's Ambulance,
Bell & Company,
Civil Air Guard

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