Company History

Introduction

Seymours Solicitors LLP is an amalgam of three different firms: Seymour Smith, Box & Sharpe and Roland Hollick and set out below is a short history of each.

Seymour Smith

Seymour Smith can trace its origins back to 1730 when solicitor James Leigh became the Coventry agent for the Sun Fire Office. The agency was carried on by James Leigh successors; records show that at various times it was known as Dewes and Son, then Dewes, Son and Wilkes, then Arthur Seymour, then A and G Seymour, then, on 19th March 1928, Seymour Smith and Co. James Leigh original premises were in Hay Lane, Coventry, from where the Firm moved to offices in Priory Street which were destroyed during the Blitz; many old documents were saved, fortunately, and now rest with the City Archivist. The Firm next premises were at Grosvenor Road, followed by a spell at 7 Queen Victoria Road before moving to the present offices at Queen House, Queen Road.

In 1980, the Firm celebrated its 250th anniversary. One of the events held to mark the occasion was a lunch given by the Sun Alliance Group in the crypt of St Mary Hall, Coventry when the Firm was presented with a suitably inscribed silver inkwell; and after the lunch Ian Smith, on behalf of the Firm presented a special and significant gift to Sun Alliance. The gift was a Sun Fire Mark, dated June 1770, the symbol, made of lead, which showed that a certain house was insured by a certain fire company. This particular fire mark dates from 1770 and was one of those issued by Sun Fire to its policyholders, and even still bore the policy number, clearly legible. Companies such as Sun Fire had their own fire brigades who would go out to fires when the alarm was raised and provided one of their marks was displayed on the premises, the Brigade would deal with the fire; if it was not, they would leave it.

It was whilst the Firm was at Queen Victoria Road, in 1965, that it had occasion to make a first-hand comparison between the services of today fire brigade and the service which they themselves had represented some 235 years earlier. The fire brigade acquitted themselves well; the alarm call was received at 3.15 am, and within half an hour the blaze at Seymour Smith premises had been brought under control. Detectives investigating the cause of the fire concluded that an intruder had entered the premises and had been using matches to look around, dropping one in the wastepaper basket which had then started the fire. Some damage to the roof and the third floor resulted, but fortunately no valuable documents were lost and Seymour Smith were able to reassure their clients that all deeds were undamaged.

Over the years successive members of the practice have held many distinguished local posts, which include being the first Chapter Clerk to the Cathedral, the first Clerk of Meriden Rural District Council, Clerk to the Drapers Mercers and Clothiers Companies, Clerk to the St Michael Consolidated Charity and Head Office Solicitors to the Coventry Building Society. Former Senior Partner Mr Ian Smith, a third generation Freeman of the City of Coventry was for many years a director of Coventry Building Society, and held such prestigious posts as Chairman of the Board of the Coventry Building Society and President of the Warwickshire Law Society. Many of the firm clients may also recall Mr Harry Smith, another former Senior Partner, his Partners George Bancroft, Harry Clarke and Ronald Crompton and Mr Robert Baker and Mr Alfred Thornton, former senior legal executives who began as office boys and worked for the firm for more than 50 years.

Roland Hollick and Co

The Firm of Roland Hollick and Co was founded by Roland Hollick who commenced practice from premises in High Street Coventry on April 5th 1910. Roland Hollick had been admitted as a Solicitor in 1906 having previously been articled to Coventry Solicitor, Mr S R Masser.

On Saturday November 5th 1910 the High Street offices were totally destroyed by fire but by Monday 7th November 1910 Roland Hollick had opened new offices at 97 Little Park Street, Coventry. By 1911 he had also been appointed as Clerk to Coleshill Justices.

At the outbreak of War in 1914, Roland Hollick joined the army and left his practice in the hands of a partner. After the War he returned to continue his work as a Solicitor. By 1923 Herbert Hobley who had served his articles under Roland Hollick became a Partner in the Firm and he also succeeded Roland Hollick to the post of Clerk to the Coleshill Magistrates.

Roland Hollick two sons, Peter and Brian, later joined the family Firm. Roland had hoped for Peter to become a barrister and Brian to qualify as a Solicitor and so provide Peter with briefs. Although Peter started a trial year with the Firm in about 1930 he soon left the law to join the Air Force and go overseas. Brian stayed with the Firm later becoming Senior Partner following the death of his father on 22nd June 1966.

At the outbreak of the Second World War, Roland became a Special Constable in Leamington and his partner Herbert Hobley a fireman. The premises in Little Park Street suffered war damage but not a direct hit and remained habitable with the aid of buckets to catch the rain.

In later years the practice of Roland Hollick & Co moved to premises acquired by Roland at 6 Queen Victoria Road. These premises remained the offices of Roland Hollick & Co until 1995 when the Firm merged with Seymours.

During the 1950, Roland and Brian were joined in partnership by Norman Power and Brian Pannell. In the early 1960 Roland had the honour of serving as President of the Warwickshire Law Society. Following Roland death in 1966 the partnership comprised Brian Hollick and Brian Pannell. They were joined in partnership by William Foster on 1st November 1973.

With the retirement of Brian Hollick in 1977, the final link with the Hollick family came to an end. Brian Hollick took up residence in Swanage where he remained until his death in the 1980.

The final chapter of the history of Roland Hollick & Co unfolded in the 1980. Andrew Hardy joined the firm in 1977 immediately following Brian Hollick retirement when he was articled to Brain Pannell. Andrew joined Brian Pannell and William Foster in partnership in 1985. By the early 1990 the Partnership comprised of Brian Pannell and Andrew Hardy and in 1995 the Firm merged with Seymours. Very shortly after the merger, Brian Pannell sadly passed away on 14 January 1995 leaving Andrew, his secretary Kath Yates and the Firm bookkeeper to complete the move over the ring road to Queens House, where Andrew remains as Litigation Partner.

Box and Sharpe

Box and Sharpe was established by the late Ronald Box in September 1959 when he started out as a sole practitioner from offices at Marriott House, Warwick Road, Coventry which is now the site of the Henry VIII School Sixth Form Centre. He built up the practice and was looking for assistance when he met by chance at Court Gerald Sharpe who was actually his replacement at Arch and Co. in Coventry when he left to set up the practice. They joined forces in 1964 and practised together until Ronald retirement in 1970.

Michael Joy joined Gerald in 1971 and stayed with the Firm until 1981 when he moved to Hampshire.

The practice went from strength to strength and moved to larger premises in Queens Road in 1973 and Rob Fardoe joined in 1975 and became a Partner together with Gerald and Michael a few years later.

The Firm amalgamated with Seymour Smith in 1990 making the short journey across Queens Road to Queens House. Both Gerald and Rob became partners in the new Firm, Gerald was then a consultant for a period, finally retiring in 1995. Ronald Box died in April 2001 and Gerald died in April 2010