Crossbeats - Val Grieve

Val Grieve

Val Grieve was a Christian solicitor (I know that to many people "Christian" and "solicitor" are mutually exclusive terms but .....) working in Manchester (Television House, St Peter's Square?), and he was very influential in the Christian scene in Manchester in the 1960s and 1970s, working with Clary Jefferies and the Christian Businessmen's Association.

I think the crossBeaTs first met him through playing at the Barge Inn (13 November 1964) at Cheadle Parish Church (which I think was his home church, though he may have attended St Cuthbert's?).

Val was extremely enthusiastic about the gospel and about reaching young people for Christ. I have a clear memory of him, after we played at the Manchester Christian Businessmen's meeting in the Holdsworth Hall (21 November 1964), taking us to see all the renovation work that was taking place in the basement of a warehouse in Back George St, ready for the opening of the Catacombs a few weeks later (17 December 1964). He was so excited at the prospect of reaching young people of the city for Jesus. He was also heavily involved in the day-to-day running and financing of the Catacombs during its early period, and then when it openend full-time (24 October 1965).

The dates of other meetings with Val (that we have a record of in the bookings page) were:

29 January	1966	Catacombs Coffee Bar
16 June	1968	Strangeways Prison, Manchester
27 December	1968	Catacombs Coffee Bar
13 February	1970	Sale Baptist Church

There were probably many other occasions when we worked with Val Grieve (where he spoke), but they are not mentioned in diaries.

Val has a number of papers on the Trinity College of the Bible Seminary web site in Newburgh, Indiana USA. He is also author of the book "Your Verdict on the Empty Tomb of Jesus" - written from the point of view of a lawyer. Sadly, Val died in 1998.

I have had a number of e-mails fom people over the years who have said how grateful they were to this man. Here are some examples:

In July 2004, I received this e-mail from a guy called Paul Hodginson.

16 July 2004

My uncle, Harry Hodgkinson, used to travel home on the bus with Val Grieve, probably around 1965-67. One day he gave my uncle his wallet (not sure what the reason was) but Uncle Harry got off the bus with Val's wallet. This worried Uncle Harry but not Val Grieve - he said he knew that Harry would look after it! Uncle Harry always had tremendous respect for him after this.

Not sure if this information is of any interest.

My mum and her friend used to wash up at the Catacombs around the same time. She said they were happy days.

Paul Hodginson

In April 2005 I received this e-mail from Roger Salisbury.

3 April 2005

I benefited massively from Val and his wife Sheila as they ministered among young people in Cheadle, teaching Sunday School and latterly Covenanters as well as chuch preaching.

Val's only desire was that people would be saved, and know Jesus as their saviour. He was generous in spirit, and also with his time, money etc. not only did he share the gospel but he shared his life as well -- he was also great fun.

I can remember being in Sheila's Sunday School group at St. Cuthberts, Cheadle in the mid 1960's and enjoying Val's ministry at St. Marys, Cheadle from 1975 -- 1983 -- around this time I left the Manchester area.

Praise God, Val is with His Lord.

Roger Salisbury

In November 2006 I received this e-mail from Tony Coghlan (Hampshire).

29 November 2006

I will never ever forget Val Grieve. He was the leader of the Covenanters at St. Cuthbert's Cheadle in the late 50s- early 60s. I attended on a Sunday afternoon mainly so I would be eligible for playing in the soccer team! There was an exotic range of speakers and I well remember Andy and Billy Bebop (reformed Teddy Boys) coming to speak to us! Also Phil Gunter who, on being selected to play for the first time for England at soccer, refused the cap because the game was scheduled for a Sunday.

Val was only engaged in those days to Sheila and we never met her sadly. However someting of Val's strong faith must have stuck to me and as I left school and entered the world of work, I kept in touch tenously with Val.

Moving away eventaully I lost touch until, a few years ago in a Christian bookshop in Ayr, I spotted a book written by Val. I wrote to him via the publisher and eventually we spoke on the phone. Sadly Val died shortly after, and I was unable to meet again that wonderful Christian man as we had promised to do.

I credit Val with being my Christain mentor, bringing me to Jesus, and my faith continued from those early days to grow and flourish. I'm now 64 and a Methodist local preacher in Hampshire. I'll never be half the Christain Val was, and I give thanks to God for the privilege of knowing Val Grieve.

Tony Coghlan

You can also read some other interesting e-mails about Val (and other things) from Paul Tavernor and Roy Weaver (click the name)

If you can help to supply any extra information, please get in touch.