Alfred Robert Grindlay
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The Right Worshipful Alfred Robert Grindlay CBE OBE JP |
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A R Grindlay outside Buckingham Palace, 20 May 1947
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| Mayor of Coventry | |
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In office 01 January 1941 – 31 December 1941 |
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| Councillor for Coventry City Council | |
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In office 1923 – 1962 (39 years) |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 01 February 1876 Coventry, Warwickshire |
| Died | 14 April 1965 (aged 89) Coventry, Warwickshire |
| Nationality | British |
| Spouse(s) | Emma Chaplin (m.1896) |
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The Right Worshipful The Mayor of Coventry, Councillor Alfred Robert Grindlay CBE, OBE, JP (1 February 1876 - 14 April 1965) was an English inventor, industrialist and official during the 19th and 20th centuries. He is renowned for co-founding Grindlay Peerless, the world record breaking motorcycle engineering company and his prominent role in regional government including his mayorship of Coventry during WWII and the Coventry Blitz.
Grindlay was born in Coventry, England in 1876, the fifth child of six and second son of William Grindlay (1843-1881) an established watch artisan. Upon leaving school, Grindlay joined a local cycle firm and began learning the skills he would employ to great effect later in his career.
At the age of 20, Grindlay married Emma Chaplin in St Paul's Church, Coventry on the 7th of September 1896, starting his family in 1899 when the first of his two sons was born.
By 1901, Grindlay was working at Riley Cycle Company, one of the major firms in Coventry at that time. Grindlay progressed steadily within the company, until 1911, while working as a foreman at Riley Cycle Company, he applied for a patent (24,683) regarding 'improved means for carrying spare wheels' for motorcars. That same year Grindlay left Riley Cycle Company and took over the Coventry Motor & Sundries business, establishing Grindlay Sidecars, which quickly became known for its "extremely high quality" machines.
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