I asked this previously many years ago and got no response.
What or who is/was the origin of the name “Gripps”. No apostrophe.
It is well-known as the name of restaurants in the Hong Kong hotels group.
Appearing regularly in their old adverts and social events reporting.
The presentation infers the name of a person. Given or pseudonym? So, who was Gripp?
A Google search inevitably takes a circuitous route back to ‘GWULO’ or an industrial tools supplier in the USA.
Getting to Gripps
May not be the answer that one is looking for. Always thought the spelling was a play on words. See: Jackspeak, navy slang.
GRIPPS
An interesting proposition!
For no rational reason, I had equated it to Hong Kong’s ‘elite’ and their love of horse/pony racing, or New Territories “Hunters Arms” speak by 'Hooray Henrys', with "All back to Gripps for dinner on me"!
Maybe will have to wander around a bar at the Jockey Club or Hong Kong Club spouting it out loud to see if any ears prick up?
Maybe it's Shanghai/China coast slang?
From recollection, it appears to be from at least the 1920s, if not before.