75 Years of Thorpes: #1 Formative Years, 1947-1956.

1947: where it all began.

Founder John “Jack” Thorpe pictured working on one of his many projects

The UK faced obvious issues following the end of the Second World War, with the government struggling with the ‘demobilisation’ process which sought to bring the 5 million members of the armed forces, and the vast network of supporting staff and industries, back into civilian life.

John ‘Jack’ Thorpe was one such example.

Due to exemption on medical grounds, Jack had contributed greatly to the war effort not on the front line, but in the factories of Coventry, a key wartime manufacturing region, and a majority of his time was spent building vehicles.

Jack’s obvious skill in engineering combined with this experience meant he quickly gained employment at the Charnwood Engineering Company following the war.

The spark of entrepreneurship.

The country was slowly but surely getting back to its feet, with a huge regeneration project gaining pace. This created opportunities, for employment, growth, and for those with the necessary skillset, a chance to create a thriving business.

One such opportunity was in the conversion of ex-military vehicles, making them appropriate for civilian life.

In 1947 Jack was living in Oadby, Leicester with his wife Jenny and two children John and Julia in a house rather appropriately named “The Jays”. In a rather brave display of entrepreneurship, Jack began what we now know as Thorpes Joinery in a small workshop attached to his property, hand-building new vehicle bodies.

Leisure-Hour provided a boost to the business

1950: A period of growth - thanks to caravans!

After a few successful years, Jack’s natural professional curiosity manifested itself in a way with rather surprising results. As leisure activities came back into public life, caravans, in particular, gaining rapid popularity, Jack in his own inimitable style, decided rather than buy one, he would provide his family with some much needed relaxation by building his own.

As anyone who has a passion for building can tell you, things such as this can sometimes need fine-tuning - as it was with Jack’s maiden concept which was slightly overweight. Undeterred, Jack persisted and refined his design to create the first of his caravan creations.

Through various conversations, Jack soon realised that there was a booming market for caravans, and so it was in 1950, ‘Leisure Hour Caravans’ was established alongside the core joinery business, building and selling (or letting) Jack’s handmade creations. Over the course of the next several years, over 40 caravans were sold, and it was here that Jack’s son, John, first began work within the business, often employed as delivery driver, delivering to the East Coast for holiday locations.

The importance of this business cannot be understated, as it was vital to cash generation allowing the main company to expand.

Bob Wells pictured here several years later was the first of many apprentices.

1955: The next chapter - JT Thorpe & Son

With Leisure Hour booming, Jack realised that he needed assistance within the joinery business, as this company too continuing to grow like Jack’s reputation spread throughout the county and beyond.

So in 1952, Jack took on his first apprentice, Alan Page, soon after the second apprentice was then employed,Bob Wells. Alan and Bob were soon assisting with all areas of the business, with Jack delighted to be able to share his significant skillset. Having an apprentice only served to improve the overall service, freeing Jack to take on larger, more complex projects. Two further apprentices were taken on in the years up to 1955, but these were not the only additions to the company.

John A Thorpe had now completed his (then mandatory) two years of national service, and was clear in his ambition to join, and eventually grow the company. This was of course fantastic news for Jack, who had always fostered the idea of running a family business, and John’s shared passion for woodworking and building made him a natural.

So in 1955, we underwent our first rebrand in acknowledgment of our latest recruit, and a true family business was born in name as well as practice: JT Thorpe & Son

Next Up - The Move

In our next blog we will cover a change in direction, a period of incredible growth and a significant move. As always, if you have any stories, photos, or memories that you would like to share, then we want to hear