Elizabeth Boulton (nee Weston)

Last updated on 24 August 2024

I was born in 1943. My brother Jim was born in 1933.  He went to Grosvenor School in West Bridgford and then to Oakham School.  I can remember him telling me that if there was an air raid warning we all went over to Tollerton Rectory.  

My grandfather, Ginnis Holroyd, designed and had built the two black and white houses opposite the church, my parents lived in Greenways and my grandparents in Fourtrees.

During  the war my parents, Mary and Lenard Weston, moved in with my grandparents.    I don’t know exactly when  Bernard and Muriel Hopewell moved in Greenways and had the black features on the house removed.

My parents befriended an American paratrooper who was stationed at Tollerton Hall.  His name was Ernest Gunther, My mother told me how he arrived back after going into France, filthy dirty, and making use of our bathroom.  I have photos of him which I will try to send you.  I remember he sent us a food parcel after he arrived home which included a tin of maple syrup in a tin shaped like a little house and the syrup poured out of the chimney.

Myself in the arms of Ernest Gunther (probably in 1944) when Ernest had returned from D Day, my mother standing on the left – Mary Weston,   Muriel Hopewell standing on the right, my brother Jim Weston sitting in the front with Bernard Hopewell.

Having seen this article on the website, Jenny Hurst contacted us and was able to give us some more details on the photo: Seated at the front (left) on the floor is my late Grandmother, Ella (Boff) Harrison (nee Potter) and I believe the gentleman standing back left, behind her mother, was “Grandpa Tom Potter” The Potter’s (Tom and Marie) had 3 children, Harold Potter (founder of Harold Potter & Co. on Daleside Road), Muriel Potter (married to Bernard Hopewell) and Ella Potter.
My Grandmother, Ella (Boff) had one daughter, Shirley Harrison who later married Bill Spray and they actually had their wedding reception at Greenways.

My father loved bird watching and he used to take me for walks in the grounds of Tollerton Hall.  It must have been 1947 when I remember the lake there freezing over and many people went there to skate.  He also used to go shooting.   Sadly he died in 1954.

I spent many hours playing next door, at the farm owned by Mr. Holbrook, his daughter was known by me as Aunty Gladys.  He had a pony and trap and he sometimes let me take the reins.   I remember being sat on a cow while they were being milked by hand and also on a pig, I soon fell off as it rushed down the farmyard.    I also helped collect the eggs from the hens and was allowed to make a den in the orchard.  There was a gate from our garden into the orchard.   Apart from one other child I was on my own but was allowed to walk in the grounds of Tollerton Hall.  

I went to school in the village hall in Edwalton run by Mrs Raynor.  A very strict teacher.
My father dropped me at the end of the road in the morning and I caught a bus back to the end of Tollerton Lane at lunchtime and walked down Tollerton Lane for lunch. Then a bus back to Melton Road and another bus back to Edwalton. Returning again in the afternoon.

I remember the Muirs at the garage, sitting on the floor in their sitting room watching the coronation, with many others.   My mother had a Ford popular, KNN341, she learnt to drive before you had to take a test. she was a very good driver and drove until she was 86.  My father had an MG with a soft top, I believe it was just prewar, mother didn’t like the wind blowing her hair, so we didn’t have the top down very often!

I also remember the Rectory Room. I think mother must have helped organise the whist drives as I used to take part and getting told off by the other players for not putting the right card down.  I usually won the wooden spoon.   I also helped with the Sunday School at the Rectory Room and the Youth Club.   Eventually the Youth Club got rather taken over by boys from Keyworth, who just wanted to come and listen to pop music, dressed in their teddy boy clothes.  

I lived in Tollerton until 1965.  I was married in St. Peter’s church on the 30th October.  I was very lucky to have a very special wedding dress.


By this time Miss April Allen was living next door to Fourtrees at Greenways.  She was director of Simon May, a lace manufacturer in the lace Market Nottingham.  She gave me the lace which was then sent to France and edged with gold thread.  In the village live Frank and May Dale in the right hand side of the pair of houses opposite Bassingfield House.  She was an amazing dressmaker, never needed a pattern!, she made many of my clothes and always insisted on making me a new one every time I want to dance.  She made my wedding dress, basing the pattern on Princess Alexandra’s wedding dress.  It is lovely, both my daughters wore it when they were married and I am still wondering what to do with it. It is in a suitcase in my loft.

After I was married we lived in Loughborough for three years and I carried on working as secretary for my uncles who owned yarn agent business in George Street Nottingham.  The building is the gothic one designed by Fothergill. I believe it’s now a private house. I would love to see inside it!    Then we moved to near Billingshurst in Sussex for twelve years and then to Midhurst for nearly 40 years.  In 2019 we moved here to Sidmouth as my son lives just down the road.  

My sister in law still lives in Wollaton and I visited her a few years ago and we went into Nottingham.  It has changed so much, I was very disappointed.

Jenny Hurst was also able to provide us with a couple of photos she had of Greenways.