At the age of 19 I made the move from the bright lights of London town to the village of Treforest on the outskirts of Pontypridd to study at the University of Glamorgan. Coming from the hustle and bustle of England’s capital I could see a clear contrast between the life I was leaving behind and the ‘sleepy’ University town in South Wales which would be my home for the next four years. In a village which at the time didn’t offer a huge amount to a young adventurous lad from London, there was one shining light which captured my imagination, peaked my interest and had me curious to engage more… that shining light was of course the Groggshop.
It was in my first year of University that I was introduced to the shop and I have been hooked ever since. So, how did I find out about the World of Groggs? Well I like to think of it as fate. On my first day of University I made a number of great friends with whom I’m still in regular contact with today. Around about the time of one of the Welsh guys’ birthday we got our heads together to decide what we should buy. The suggestion of a Grogg was made by one of the other Welsh lads, a suggestion which myself and some of the other English boys looked upon with what can only be described as ‘blank confusion’. As our friend explained and expanded on the definition of Grogg the confusion set in even further, it sounded so bizarre and different to anything we had ever heard of that it had to be seen to be believed… this was the beginning of my fist trip inside the Groggshop.
Walking down from the University and through the Treforest High Street we edged closer and closer to the shop, gleaming in Red and Green paint akin to the national colours of the flag of Wales, this was a sight to behold and as I stepped inside this historic building I was in what could only be described as a wonderland.
Every available space was filled with these lovingly crafted items. Individuals from the world of rugby, football, stage, screen and more were ‘Immortalised in Clay’ and stood proudly on the shelves. The walls and ceiling were filled with memorabilia donated to the shop by the proud recipients of their own Groggs and visitors alike. This place was more like a museum full of signed shirts and socks dangling from the ceiling, photos of stars from all over the world proudly holding their Groggs and a real sense that this was something special. I must have spent at least an hour wandering around in a state of amazement and taking it all in.
My first visit was of course not my last and over the course of the next four years I regularly visited the shop. Sometimes my visits resulted in a little purchase (student living not really allowing for big spending). On other occasions I would simply just wander around, each visit spotting something new I hadn’t seen before.
I have the fondest memories from my time visiting the shop and memories which will always remain with me. I often saw the creator of the Grogg empire John Hughes pottering around the shop, sometimes sat on his sofa keeping his hand involved with Grogg production by painting the odd Grogg and other times he would be stood there with a huge smile just itching for the opportunity to talk about the Groggs themselves, something I was more than happy to do.
I also remember the first time I was shown Richard’s studio by John, this was a real treat and seeing the place the magic happened was something you wouldn’t normally see in other companies. If seeing the studio wasn’t enough, witnessing elements such as the ever growing signature wall, signed by stars of past and present alike who had stepped inside the shop over the years was fantastic in its own right. You could really sense that this was a business loved not only by collectors but by those lucky enough to have been Grogged themselves.
Being from England I was always very keen on anything the shop produced which represented my country of birth, so when I visited the shop and John asked if I wanted to see what they were making I felt like it truly was my lucky day. Seconds after asking me, John enters the main shop clutching the in development Groggs of Johnny Wilkinson and Lawrence Dallaglio, I was in awe.
By the time I left University and Wales in 2004 I probably only owned around four Groggs myself, but my fascination with them didn’t end. I continued to hold an interest in the shop and the work of the Hughes family and over the years I have continued to build my own personal collection. Just over a decade later I now am the owner of close to 100 Groggs, an active member of social media groups created by fellow Grogg collectors and the writer of my own blog all about Groggs and those who have been Grogged.
Despite retaining a healthy interest in all Grogg related, the year 2004 was the last time I had stepped into the shop until I returned recently in March 2015. Over the years that have passed so much has changed some amazing things have happened in the World of Groggs including an active engagement in the Social media world facilitated by Carly Hughes, the creation of the World of Groggs Museum on site showcasing some never before seen work and a general drive to re-energise the home of Groggs.
Of course it hasn’t all been happy news and in June 2013 the Hughes family entered probably the most difficult time of their lives when Father and Grandfather John Hughes passed away following a long battle with illness… a loss that was mourned all over the world by friends, family, collectors and the personalities alike. For most the passing of John Hughes was a huge shock. For many they had the opportunity to engage with this gentleman on a regular basis, I wasn’t lucky enough to do so after 2004 but will always hold the fondest memories of the welcome he gave me whenever I did visit the business he had lovingly created.
John’s legacy has of course long lived on through his family and Richard, Cathy, Carly and Simon all strive to maintain and exceed the quality of product and service that John had established 50 years ago. Everyone who has had dealings with the Hughes family over the years will testify that the level of service, helpfulness and friendliness far outweighs anything any other ‘business’ would offer, in fact I would go as far as saying you feel part of the ‘Grogg Family’ and not just a customer.
On the 6th of March 2015 I finally returned to the home of Groggs and took a long awaited trip down memory lane. As I approached the shop the feelings of excitement began to bubble inside me again and the anticipation of what I was about to see (and buy) was unbearable.
Over the years since leaving Wales I had regularly been in contact with the likes of Carly, Cathy, Simon and Richard via social media or email but this was in fact the first time we had met in person, although I had of course crossed paths with Cathy and Richard in my previous visits even if briefly. Despite being relative strangers the welcome I received was fantastic, as it had been all of those years ago with John and of course subsequently whenever I engaged with the Hughes family via electronic means.
I savoured the opportunity to wander around the shop in fascination again taking in all it had to offer. Some things hadn’t changed much at all really, the character of the shop was as present as ever and in other areas you could clearly see the hard work and planning which went into polishing this piece of Welsh history. I was able to take a look at the ‘new’ Grogg museum and the changes that had been made to the room where I previously remember John sat on his sofa busily tinkering away. No longer was there an old sofa, in a somewhat darkened room but now there were gleaming cabinets full of brand new Groggs and memorabilia from the likes of Pontypridd’s own Richard Parks.
To my surprise I also bumped into someone with whom I had been talking to on the Grogg social media groups for a number of years, it is a small world after all.
But the icing on the cake had to be meeting Richard in person and being shown around his studio. The opportunity to speak with the man who has lovingly taken over the mantle from his father and has continued to dazzle and please collectors from all over the world is priceless. For me it was extremely interesting to be able to talk over the work in progress and of course ask all of those burning questions which I and other fellow collectors have considered over the years.
One of the most interesting elements from my perspective though was seeing some of the sketches which Richard has created over the years, some of which made it into Grogg form and others which only made it onto the wall of Richard’s studio in ink. There is an old saying which says “You always want what you can’t have” and that was definitely the case when seeing some of these sketches particularly the ones which were based on England players or the 2013 British Lions tour.
Of course from the fantasy comes the reality, the Groggshop with Richard at the helm have stuck by their principles of not wanting to become a production line of massed produced items (I’m sure there have been countless opportunities to do so). As a collector this can sometimes frustrate you as you would like everyone you admire or love to be Grogged, yet for the most part the limited numbers on Groggs, stringent selection process by the team and the personal touch felt on every piece produced is what makes the whole business so special and it’s something to be embraced and applauded.
As we reach the 50th year of the Groggshop it feels kind of apt that this is when I have returned for another visit. The recent announcement of the 50th Anniversary piece has celebrated all that has gone into building this much loved business. Captured in clay form Richard has crafted a piece which depicts his father John passing a golden rugby ball over to himself. Influenced by the Weathervane over Twickenham which features Hermes passing over a rugby ball to a young boy, this anniversary piece celebrates the passing of the business from Father to Son a depiction which is highly emotionally charged yet completely fitting for the celebration.
It’s taken over a decade for me to return to the shop but of course none of the magic has been lost during that time and in fact it has just been enhanced. I hope my next visit is not as long in coming around and would like to thank the Hughes family for all they have done for me and fellow collectors in the past, all of the help and support they have shown me in the creation of The Grogg Blog and of course for the warm welcome they always provide.
 |
| Finally I get to take home my rugby hero in Grogg form |
