End of an era as family business closes

TWO brothers who took over a menswear business founded by their father 80 years ago have sold up and are planning to retire at the end of this month.

The name F.C. Thorpe and Sons, in Uckfield High Street, will be coming down and a new one going up for the business has been taken over by a similar firm, W.E. Cole of Epping.

The existing five members of staff, including Les Pope who has worked for Derek and Robert Thorpe for 35 years, and tailor Teresa James, now in her 80s have been invited to carry on their jobs with the new owners.

The Thorpe brothers recalled how their father started in business selling clothing on a bicycle then graduated to a motorcycle and van before meeting his wife-to-be Unice, a milliner. The couple opened their first shop in Framfield Road in 1928.

Derek, who lives at Halland, joined the business in 1950 and Robert, of Hadlow Down, joined in 1963. The business moved into the High Street in 1959.

'There were two shops, a hat shop and a jewellers, then we opened up a shop in Crowborough, which my brother ran, then we took over another shop in Hailsham and another more recently in Lewes,' said Mr Derek Thorpe. He opened Uckfield's first women's fashion shop, at 80 Newtown in 1957 but after the death of his father in 1964 there wasn't the time to keep that on and the brothers concentrated on the rest of the business.

He said the number of shops owned by the family had diminished over the last three to four years in anticipation of retirement. The Uckfield shop is the last one.

'This has been a wonderful trade for me. I served on the Menswear Association national council and then on the executive board and was president from 1989 to 1990.

'I have represented the menswear trade in America and Paris. It has been a great life,' said Derek.

One of the things he would like to do is write a history of the business for his four grandchildren. Sadly he lost two sons in separate accidents. He also has a daughter.

Robert is looking forward to living a life more in harmony with nature.

He keeps sheep and bees and wants to get back to work on his vegetable plot.

He is married to Fiona and has two sons and two daughters.

Both brothers share an interest in vintage cars, gardening and living in the country.