F.J. Grandin & Co. Ltd, St. Helier, Jersey.
The following item of paperwork originates from Morris cars garage F.J. Grandin & Co. Ltd. The business operated from the Premier Motor Works, at 26 Commercial Buildings on the island of Jersey. Of all the examples of garage paperwork that feature in this section of Old Classic Car, this is one of the best turned out. Although the scan below doesn't really pick it up, all the text is slightly raised, ie embossed from behind, and the design - in various shades of blue with added red for the Morris Oxford legend - is beautifully put together. This invoice dates to January 1931, and doesn't actually relate to the sale of anything motor-related (a door lock and keys). The customer, a Mr or Mrs Mattas, had premises at 92 Bath Street in St Helier, a fine Regency-era town house that was under threat of demolition not so long ago and is listed as a site of Special Interest.
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The company, F.J. Grandin & Co. Ltd. of St. Helier, appears to have been solely interested in the supply and service of Morris cars only, at this time it would mean cars such as the "flat nose" Morris Cowley, the Oxford, and the low-cost Minors. Prior to getting involved with motor-cars, Grandin's was an ironmongers. By the 1960s, nos 26 and 27 was home to A.F. Gallichan & Co., a Renault dealer.
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26 Commercial Buildings at St. Helier survives to this day, as part of a long line of commercial buildings. A hire shop now occupies the premises. Beneath its lurid yellow colour scheme, it's easy to see how the building would have looked at the beginning of the 1930s, the date of this item of paperwork. More history on these buildings can be found on Jerripedia, a Jersey history site.
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Return to the Motoring Collectables section, for lots more unique items of motoring memorabilia.
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