Page 80 - Redditch People

Redditch People

Fritz Heaphy

By the time George Jnr. died in 1899 the company was making regular deliveries as far
afield as Handsworth and Weatheroak. Fritz took over the company and although they had
purchased a little game cart from Hewell Grange the previous year, Fritz made most of
the deliveries on his bicycle. Fritz was very popular with the ladies, he would visit a
different female friend each evening during the week taking a piece of fish, and the lady
would cook it for him. However, he remained a bachelor.

At the height of the 1930's depression, Cyril Nash joined the company. Fritz was wearing
old-fashioned clothes and Mr Nash taught him how to dress. The shop was redesigned and
extended and the basement converted into a showroom.

One day, a policeman called in at the shop for a chat, and said to Cyril, 'Have you seen
the smasher that's just started at Huins shoe shop?' so Cyril called in at Huins for a pair
of shoelaces to view the new arrival. A few days later, the 'smasher', Margot, went to the
local cinema on her own. Cyril seized his opportunity and sat next to her and from there,
the romance blossomed and they were married in 1938.

Cyril took over the company on Fritz's death in 1952 and Margot Nash went on to be a
Heaphys director for 39 years. Another employee, Mr Farr joined the company and stayed
until he retired.

In 1964 Cyril bought a little shop on Church Green West. It had belonged to Mr Boyd, they
had sold fancy goods and cameras and he said that it might come in useful one day.

In 1973 Heaphys moved from their old shop in New Street into the Kingfisher Centre when
it opened. However Heapheys eventually moved out of the Kingfisher Centre into the
Church Green shop and extended it into the first floor.

He also went on to buy businesses in Warwick, Rugby and Sutton Coldfield.

Margot Nash used to say “Our saving grace over the multiple firms and big boys is the
service that we give, of which we are very proud. In the large stores people just go along
and see rails of clothes and they have to serve themselves. I see service in the main as
helping people in their purchases. Also, as a smaller company we can take an interest in
the locality and get involved in whatever is going on in your town or wherever you are.”

“Over the years I have held a variety of offices in the Mothers' Union, the WI, Redditch
Ladies' Circle, the Inner Wheel, and other societies. We have always taken an interest in
Redditch, now we are starting to do it elsewhere. Recently, our staff took part in a raft
race which finished at Stratford-on-Avon opposite the theatre, and we had a picnic there.”

“I take a Keep Fit class in Redditch for the elderly, I still go swimming and until recently
I played golf, now I play bridge. I have two children, seven grandchildren and eleven
great-grandchildren. I am very interested in life and I have loved every minute.”

After Cyril and Margot retired the separate shops were split off with individual owners. In
2010, Dean Corrigan took over the business in Redditch. He retained the Heaphys name
and traditions of offering that personal service.

Page: 80 © RLHS 2015