Nostalgia Feature – family firm celebrates 110 years in business

News
09/06/2020

A West Midland legal firm, which has remained in the hands of the same family for over a century, is celebrating a landmark anniversary.


Still headed up by the grandson of the original founder, award-winning Adcocks Solicitors, which boasts offices in Lichfield, Birmingham’s landmark Crossway building, and also has facilities in West Bromwich, is marking its milestone 110th birthday.


Founded just before the outbreak of World War One, Adcocks can trace its roots back to 1910 and the original paperwork, from its founding in West Bromwich by Leonard Hedley Adcock, still survives to this day.


Here we take a trip down memory lane with Leonard’s grandson, Senior Director Mark Adcock, who is at the helm of the firm today.


A history of roots and investment in the West Midlands

Solicitor Leonard Hedley Adcock was so dedicated to the legal practice he founded in 1910, and his clients, that his obituary stated that he “collapsed and died at his desk”.


Today his proud grandson, Senior Director Mark Adcock, still continues to work at the same desk at the helm of the family-run business keeping his grandfather’s legacy alive.


Described as a “great citizen” of West Bromwich, the surviving cutting of Leonard’s obituary goes on to reveal more about a “great man” who prioritised “integrity and humaneness”, was “greatly loved by all” and was “of outstanding help to all who were in need”.


“West Bromwich lost a great citizen” – tribute

These are the words of a Rev John B Hardy, who also goes on to state in the 1952 obituary:

“I found him a great friend, and he helped me more than language is adequate to express.

“He was honest in life, and in his judgement of others was both kindly and helpful.

“This town has lost a great citizen, whose memory will live on.”


Leonard, who died of a heart-attack, was the oldest of three siblings.


His parents, Hedley John Adcock and Mary Christiana, who originally hailed from Norfolk, moved to the Midlands when it’s believed that Hedley took on the role of solicitor’s clerk for a West Bromwich legal firm.


Hedley and Mary would later go on to become the last incumbents of Master and Matron at the 1857 West Bromwich Workhouse – which then became Hallam Hospital, now Sandwell District Hospital - until their retirement.


It was just before World War One broke out, that Leonard began his legal journey.


In April 1910 he was admitted as a solicitor, and “articled” to Birmingham solicitor, Stephen Gateley, whose firm still operates under the same name today, although as a much larger practice.


It was then on May 26, 1910, around a month after qualifying as a solicitor, that Leonard agreed to purchase the West Bromwich branch of then Birmingham firm Duggan and Elton, for the princely sum of £59 and 10 shillings.


And, in those humble roots, Adcocks Solicitors was born.


A spot of Dad’s Army adventure for Adcocks’ founding father and son

In an interesting aside, it was during WW2 that Leonard and his son Hedley as a teenager both served in the Home Guard, aka Dad’s Army, charged with guarding the boundary of West Bromwich and Birmingham, close to the Albion Football Ground.


Shedding a little more light on his Dad’s Army time Mark said:

“At the time the family home was Bleak House, where I was born, and which still stands, in Island Road.

“Owned at one time by one of the Albions’ top players, it was just over West Bromwich’s town border at Handsworth.

“My dad and granddad were tasked with walking up and down Forge Lane, near the family home, which was a country lane, surrounding the Dartmouth Estate, now Sandwell Park, because it was thought the spot would be an ideal landing place for German aircraft.”


Despite enduring two world wars, the company survived and thrived, and remained in the hands of Leonard’s descendants, and the rest, as they say, is history.


Now award-winning, Adcocks is still investing in the West Midlands

After passing to Leonard’s son Hedley and, since his father’s retirement, in 1987, after 50 years as a practicing solicitor, it’s been Mark at the helm of the award-winning family firm.


It’s in this, its 110th anniversary year, that Adcocks has also been shortlisted – as one of only four practices in the West Midlands – for the accolade of Best Law Firm of the Year 2020 by Birmingham Law Society, with the winners due to be announced later this year.


Grandfather-of-three Mark, aged 66, who has been proud to play a part in helping the development and growth of businesses across the region by serving in senior positions in several chamber of commerce and industry roles, added:

“From the very start until the present day, Adcocks has always been a family business.

“I have counted no less than 14 members of the family, both direct descendants of Leonard, or their family, who have worked in the practice, including myself since 1974, and both my son and daughter.

“And I hope it will continue like that for another 110 years.


A curious twist for the anniversary year

“Curiously, in this our 110th anniversary year, 110 is also the total of the ages of me, my son and my grandson Rex, combined!”


Currently, the practice employs around 20 staff.


After Mark – who is a former President of both Lichfield and South Staffordshire’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry, as well as Vice President of the former Sandwell and Dudley Chambers of Commerce and Industry – these include his son, father-of-two Hedley Adcock, daughter and mother-of-one Frances Adcock-Di-Pierri, and their respective partners.


During its history Adcocks Solicitors was also known as Adcock and Williams – after John James Williams, the husband of Hedley’s sister Mary, joined the business.


In subsequent years the partners broke up the practice, but it was reunited again in 1996 through the Merger of Adcocks with Bramwell Williams & Co of West Bromwich and has continued in upward growth since.


In 1997 the practice also acquired the very old established business of Stockdale & Brown of Tipton and then in 1999 it acquired the practice of David Edwards & Co of Lichfield, where it now holds its headquarters.


As well as the partners and children of family members joining the business fold over the years, Mark estimates that at least 60 qualified solicitors have worked for Adcocks during its history and it’s employed around 750 people.


“Incredibly proud” – Mark Adcock, founder’s grandson

Mark went on to say:

“I’m incredibly proud of what our family has built.

“And, to have been in business for 110 years is a rare accolade and something that we are very honoured and humbled by.

“Even though our clients come from across the region, to spanning the UK and overseas, I’m proud to have remained true to our West Midland roots by continuing to both invest in the region in both property and jobs.

“This is something we want to continue to do for many years, and hopefully for decades to come.”


For more on Adcocks, whose specialist areas include leasehold reform and enfranchisement work, commercial property and private client services, telephone 01543 442100 or visit www.adcocks-solicitors.co.uk.