I have just spent the last 4 hours at a funeral and wake. As funerals go, it was interesting as I got to meet the original founders son and his eldest son as we buried his youngest.
Joseph Grand Senior started in business with the Bedford at Tonge, succeeded by Joseph Senior and Paddy Laban. Joseph Paul runs the lorries now and is known as JP, his mum Paddy drives for him after taking her test in her 50’s.
bbc.co.uk/radio4/hometruths/ … iver.shtml
Pauls younger brother Andrew drove for the family firm until 1998 when he was diagnosed with a brain tumour. Just to confuse things further young Andrew was also known as “Joe”
This morning we buried young Joe (Andrew) who was only 49. He had been to Buxton with his mum in the lorry less than 6 weeks ago before being taken into the Nightingale MacMillan unit in Derby.
13 years with a brain tumour and he has lived life to the full, travelling all over the world, his passion was music, his main arguing point was Arsenal Football club and was very supportive of them. He was married for 25 years and left this place just last week.
See you soon mate, you were one of the best blokes I knew in this village. 
I am hoping to be able to borrow some pictures of the fleet over the years from 1934 to date.