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Jack Harris Shop

In 1940, Jack Harris opened a general store in part of what is now 39, Top Road, Griffydam. We assume Jack lived in the other part. This was originally two properties.

Jack was a well known character in the locality, frequently leaving a ‘back in five minutes’ sign on the shop door. Often, the five minutes turned into hours. A half crown was glued to the shop counter to see how many customers would attempt to pick it up. His resident parrot, an African Grey called Polly, was famous for its wolf whistles.

Locals relate the story that Jack had a valuable gold watch with the inscription Sergeant Horace Hoult engraved on the back. His gold watch fits with someone with service no. SP75/4789 who was in the City of London Royal Fusiliers during WW1. However, not knowing his background and previous names, rumours circulated around the village that he may have been some kind of spy in his past life.

Jack drove a three-wheeler invalid car so he must have had some form of disability.

The Rex and Regal cinemas in Coalville regularly showed advertisements for Jack’s shop, and it is thought the above photograph is one of these. Note that the ‘y’ in Griffydam is replaced with an ‘i’ which was how it was often spelt locally in those times we are told.

Jack was unmarried at this time, and on his death in 1952, the shop was passed from Jack to Harry Weston, son of landlord and landlady of the Red Lion at Peggs Green. Harry Weston and his wife Mary ran the shop and delivered newspapers around the locality in their Morris Minor car. The shop closed in the early 1960's.

In 1964, the property was extended, to form two separate private residences.

Jack's Earlier Life

We are extremely grateful to Nita Pearson of Friends Of Thringstone for allowing us to share her research on Jack Harris's earlier life (below) and for providing the various newspaper articles published here.

Prior to having his shop in Griffydam, Jack Harris ran the Gracedieu Garage on the A512 from 1934 until 1939 when he lived briefly along the road with the Robinsons.

It is evident that Jack Harris was an entrepreneur. His garage is listed in phone books and given that there were very few phones around at that time, he was really ahead of his time. To also advertise his shop on Top Road at the cinemas was some good planning for a rural shop.

Jack collected cars and in the 1930s he advertised an early 1900’s 2 seater Singer from his garage. The following letter refers to one of the cars on his forecourt and also gives an insight into Jack's character.

letter from C Moore, Newbold 1_edited.jp

We believe that Jack Harris started life as Motta Holt. He is on the 1881 census with his parents, who were Major William Lyster Holt and his wife Catherine nee Dulin. They were from Kensington in London.

When they married in 1872, Catherine was 19 and William was 41. They had 7 children William Bacon, Violet Katherine, Lilian Mary, Herbert Gordon, Motta, George Lindsay and Emilie/Emilia Dorothy. It appears that all the children of Major Holt and Catherine went to boarding school. Lilian married into peerage and both Lilian and Violet had a society wedding which made the London social papers of the time. Major Holt died on 11 Feb 1889 and was buried at Bromley cemetery. After his death, his wife Catherine travelled and ended her days in Bath. She died on 18 June 1927. Further information about Jack's (Mota's) family tree can be found here>.

Two of his brothers went to Swindon, Wiltshire. Motta (now known as Horace, a family name of his father's brother Horace), is also in Swindon.

In 1893 Horace took part in a boy‘s 300 yd race at Highworth fete in Wiltshire where he finished first but was disqualified as he was over age. From 1894 Horace played water polo for Swindon Swimming Club and was captain for several years. In 1898 he was on their committee having received 20 votes. In 1899 Horace resigned as captain and from the committee.

In June 1901 Horace took over the licence of The Fountain Inn, Swindon from Joseph C Davis. As a keen runner, he enjoyed organising running races from the hotel and also held exhibitions of gramophones there.

He meets Marie Louie England and they marry in 1903. However, by 1904, there appears to have was some acrimony involved as he places and article in the newspaper declaring her debts have nothing to do with him. She replied that she had never incurred any debts payable to her husband and had no intention to do so. This perhaps was the time at which Motta/Horace became Jack Harris.

In Dec 1904 Horace transferred the licence of Fountain Inn to Charles Walker and in 1905 Marie Louie moved to Vancouver, Canada and remarried.

No information has been found on Jack from 1905 until 1934 when he is recorded as living in Gracedieu. However, Jack (then Horace) may have served in WW1 as a sergeant under the name Horace Holt with the City of London Royal Fusiliers.

Jack Harris died on 23 June 1952 at Red Lion, Peggs Green. He is listed as both Horace Holt and Motta Holt in death records. The death certificate says that he died at the Red Lion, Peggs Green, and his friend Harry Weston was with him at his death. He fainted and also had cancer of the tongue. He left the majority of his estate to Harry Weston and David Arthur Else.

Jack/Horace/Motta's Death Certificate