Jeweller still sparkling at 50-year celebrations

A jeweller is celebrating 50 years of trading in a Black Country town and has no plans to give up the successful business in the near future.

John Griffiths will mark the golden anniversary of taking over John Hollins Ltd in Wolverhampton Street, Dudley, on April 1.

And the 72-year-old said it had been a "wonderful" 50 years and praised staff both past and present for helping to make the store one of the best-known in the area. He still oversees all management decisions at the store.

Mr Griffiths bought the company from previous owner Charles Young after serving his apprenticeship with the Eames group.

His family had worked in the trade for many years with his grandfather setting up Arthur Griffiths Jewellers in Cradley Heath.

His father, also Arthur but better known as Eric, later took over the business and it is now run by his brother Peter.

Mr Griffiths said his father had believed it best that the brothers had operated separate firms and heard that Charles Young was planning to retire.

"The deal was agreed and I took over at John Hollins on April 1 1962," he said.

"The first thing I wanted to do was expand the sales area. At the time it was very cramped and the counters were very high.

"One of the staff who worked here at the time, Evelyn Davies, had to stand on a box because the counters were so high. We still have the box she used."

Mrs Davies agreed to stay on while Mr Griffiths settled in but remained for many years after. Another well-known worker was Ron Bond.

The firm now employs two full-time staff and one part-time worker.

Mr Griffiths said the firm had originally been established in 1804 and remained in the Hollins family until 1953.

It had then been run by Charles Young who had worked for the firm from the age of 14 and worked his way up to become the manager.

The shop front has been listed by English Heritage.