I’m one of the UK’s longest-serving workers – here’s what has kept me going for 75 years

When Peter Flitney was 15-years-old, he rolled up his sleeves for the first time.

He had just taken up an apprenticeship as a mechanic at the small, unassuming garages of G. Grace & Son in Tring, Hertfordshire.

‘I walked up the road with my mother and asked for a job. The boss, Mr Grace, said: “The boy can start Monday.” and that was it,’ he told Metro.

‘The first job I ever did was cleaning down the back half of a tractor.’

At the time, Peter didn’t overthink it too much. It was his first job. He’d work here for a bit, and then see what happens.

Little did he know, the apprenticeship ended up leading him to a long career of 75 years, making him one of the longest-serving workers at a single business in the UK.

Established in 1750, G. Grace & Son is one of the UK’s oldest family businesses.

It’s a shop that does it all – it sells hardware, painting and decorating supplies, household products, gardening tools and specialises in classic car maintenance.

Now, after decades of hard graft in a career that’s seen three generations of ownership come and go before him, Peter finally hung up his overalls earlier this month at the age of 90.

‘There was all sorts [to work on] back then. Tractors, combines. I’d sharpen tools and mower blades. All sorts. We were helping the farmers at the time,’ he said.

When Peter began his career, it was 1950. As the nation was still recovering from the economic impacts of WWII, he quickly learned to mend and maintain agricultural machinery.

His job was to keep tractors running – a tricky feat as parts were scarce and rationing was still very much in place for much of the country.

It wouldn’t be until 1958 that the UK saw the completion of its first motorway and at the time, car ownership was still a luxury for most households – which made the few vehicles around all the more in need of regular fixing.

Leaving only for two years of mandatory national service, Peter later returned to the tools for his career. He went from an odd-job apprentice to master mechanic – later specialising in some of the world’s most iconic classic sports cars, including the Jaguar E-Type.

Their work on a beloved Riley 2.5 would help the then-owner and racing driver Harold Grace win many of his 400 of racing trophies.

‘I remember finishing work late and Harold Grace would pop his head out and say “Peter have you got time to wash my car down?”‘ Peter laughed.

By 2000, Peter had already been awarded Dacorum Borough Council’s Employee of the Year for reaching his 50th work year at the company, all while taking just three days sick since his first shift.

His prevalence led him to being featured in newspaper articles as the years ticked on.

It wasn’t until a cancer diagnosis in recent years that Peter pumped the brakes; reducing his hours to a few days a week.

‘I started doing less work for a while, just small jobs like sharpening knives and putting handles on forks, but eventually decided “that’s enough now”,’ he said.

Peter’s since received the all clear and credits his wife of 67 years, Sheila, for being his rock over the years.

‘You couldn’t get a better one,’ Peter said. ‘She’s always been there. She’s always been supportive.’

The couple married in 1958 and in 1960 their son, Paul, was born.

Following his dad in his footsteps, he soon also took a keen interest in machinery and cars, peering over his dad’s shoulder as he worked away in the garage.

The exposure to the trade from an early age led to Paul getting his own job at the garage in 1976, starting off with part time work during the school holidays. Today, the father and son duo have worked side by side for a staggering 50 years.

‘It’s incredible, really,’ Paul told Metro. ‘We’ve always got on. Some fathers and sons don’t work out, do they? We’re lucky, in that sense.’

Gilbert Grace, the eigth generation owner of G. Grace & Son, praised Peter for his diligence over the years.

‘Peter knows hard work. He really does know hard work,’ he told Metro. ‘He has common sense, you know?

‘I’ll never forget – we had a problem with a gearbox strewn across in bits and pieces. Peter immediately had a solution. He just…had the answer.

‘His work here must be a record of some sort.’

While Peter himself is embedded in the history of British mechanics thanks to his long service, the Grace family have also earned their place in the history books too.

From starting off as local blacksmiths, the Graces forged their way through Britain’s first industrial revolution.

In the 1890s, they were sent to Paris by Lord Rothschild to study the Eiffel Tower – inspiration that later shaped their ironwork of what became the Rothschild Museum in Tring.

By 1953, their evolution from forge to front-runners in the sports-car industry had them tuning a Riley 2.5 that finished just behind British racing legend Stirling Moss at Silverstone — with Harold Grace himself behind the wheel.

‘You could stand a chance of fixing a car back then,’ Paul said. ‘It was a guessing game. But these days you need computers plugged into them just to find out what’s wrong.’

In 1994, the business was brought to its knees after two catastrophic fires destroyed many of their workshops. They eventually made the full recovery and picked up business again.

Since then, they have adapted to the changes that would’ve seen most in their trade shut down, selling new products and expanding their stock to include household goods.

Carol Woodstock, who runs and maintains the DIY & Hardware section, retires this year after 30 years of work at the business. For 20 of those years she’s spent them working alongside her daughter, Jackie.

‘Everything was make and mend,’ Carol said, reflecting on the changes that have seen disposability become something of the norm.

‘We had this Saturday lad come in. Lovely lad. I said to him, “Just think — doing this kind of work, you’ll be able to do your own one day.”

‘He turned to me and said, “When I’m rich and famous, I’m just going to pay someone to do it for me.” I thought… oh… alright,’ she laughed.

‘My first job was with my mum and her last job is with me — it’s really special,’ Jackie said.

Between Peter, Paul, Carol and Jackie, the tireless family foursome has quietly amassed a staggering 175 years of hard work between them.

Back in April, the group had a dinner marking Peter and Carol’s retirement, all the while toasting their decades of success, as well as the new chapter as G. Grace & Son towards the future.

The reins have now been handed to Gilbert’s grandson, Jordan Grace – he is the 10th generation family member to take charge of the business.  

What’s next for Peter? Well, he’s still driving his little red Rover 200 around and finds ways to keep himself occupied.

‘I keep busy when I can now. I do puzzles, go for walks and do some gardening. I used to go to allotment but I can’t do it now,’ he said.

So what’s Peter’s secret for holding down a career for 75 years? Turns out it’s loving what you do and who you work with.

‘Coming to work was a pleasure because everybody got on with everybody and well, we’re like one family really,’ he said.

‘I’m so proud. I’m proud of my son. I’m proud of all of us.’

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