The Weston family of Alma Cottage, Coleswood Road

By Rosemary Ross

Dinah Castle lent her family albums to the Society in early 2012.  To her frustration many of the photos were unidentified, but it is possible to put together a brief outline of the lives of her grandparents Bert and Annie Weston in Southdown from the early 1900s to the 1950s. 

Photo:1. Harpenden First Eleven football team, with Bertie Weston in the middle of the front row - c. 1910

1. Harpenden First Eleven football team, with Bertie Weston in the middle of the front row - c. 1910

Di Castle's family albums

Photo:2. Postcard, with inscription on the back: Mrs A Woodwards, Coleswood Road, Harpenden, Herts, England. embossed: H Howards, 61 High Town, Luton - c 1915?

2. Postcard, with inscription on the back: Mrs A Woodwards, Coleswood Road, Harpenden, Herts, England. embossed: H Howards, 61 High Town, Luton - c 1915?

Di Castle's family albums

Photo:3. Postcard with Irma, Annie (Weston) and Ciss Tuffin. Embossed: H Howards, 61 High Town, Luton - c. 1915

3. Postcard with Irma, Annie (Weston) and Ciss Tuffin. Embossed: H Howards, 61 High Town, Luton - c. 1915

Photo:4. Studio portrait of Albert Weston, c 1915/16

4. Studio portrait of Albert Weston, c 1915/16

Di Castle's family albums

Photo:5. Embroidered card - To Annie from Bertie, 2 November 1916

5. Embroidered card - To Annie from Bertie, 2 November 1916

Di Castle's family albums

Photo:6. Carte postale, with inscription on the back:Stammlager Prismes No. 48899, coy no. 438, EK4, Pte B Weston, 7th East Surrey Regt, Gefangenen Lager, Friedrichsfeld, Germany. Addressed to S Higginson, 80 Kings Road, Camden Town NW. Photo Arras, 1917

6. Carte postale, with inscription on the back:Stammlager Prismes No. 48899, coy no. 438, EK4, Pte B Weston, 7th East Surrey Regt, Gefangenen Lager, Friedrichsfeld, Germany. Addressed to S Higginson, 80 Kings Road, Camden Town NW. Photo Arras, 1917

Di Castle's family albums

Photo:7. Text on postcard 6.

7. Text on postcard 6.

Di Castle's family albums

Photo:8. Bertie Weston (?), on a camp stool outside the side door of a ruined church. Inscription on the back: Arras Cathedral, 1917

8. Bertie Weston (?), on a camp stool outside the side door of a ruined church. Inscription on the back: Arras Cathedral, 1917

Di Castle's family albums

Photo:9. Postcard - Annie Weston nee Tuffin, with Rene as a baby (later she married to Ken Munt)

9. Postcard - Annie Weston nee Tuffin, with Rene as a baby (later she married to Ken Munt)

Di Castle's family albums

Photo:10. Infants class at St John's School. Rene Weston on right-hand end of front row. c. 1920/21

10. Infants class at St John's School. Rene Weston on right-hand end of front row. c. 1920/21

Di Castle's family albums

Photo:11. Class photo, St John's School - Rene Weston on left of middle row; Ronald Tuffin, seated on left of front row - c. 1924/25

11. Class photo, St John's School - Rene Weston on left of middle row; Ronald Tuffin, seated on left of front row - c. 1924/25

Di Castle's family albums

Photo:12. WI Choir, with Bertie Byard (organist at High St Methodist church). "Granny Weston" marked as third from right on back row; Rose Tuffin, standing 3rd from the left - c. 1950s

12. WI Choir, with Bertie Byard (organist at High St Methodist church). "Granny Weston" marked as third from right on back row; Rose Tuffin, standing 3rd from the left - c. 1950s

Di Castle's family albums

Photo:13. Mrs B Weston was one of the organisers of this WI Flower show in the late 1940s

13. Mrs B Weston was one of the organisers of this WI Flower show in the late 1940s

Di Castle's family albums

Photo:14. Bertie Weston outside his grocer store at 102 Southdown Road, c.1950

14. Bertie Weston outside his grocer store at 102 Southdown Road, c.1950

Di Castle's family albums

This page was added by Rosemary Ross on 12/03/2013.
Comments about this page

In the 1924/25 photograph of St John's school, the lad on the right at the end of the back row near the tree is, I believe, is my father Rob Andrews, who lived in the cottages at the top of Piggots Hill. He was the 9th of a family of 11. He worked first as a blacksmith at Oggelsbys in Southdown and was later as a diesel mechanic for Saunders in Southdown Road. I believe the site is now King's square or something of that ilk. (King's Court, ed).

By Rita Chapman
On 25/04/2013

I remember the trades bike outside Bert Weston's shop. My brother used to ride it delivering groceries and at other times give me a lift in the basket.

By Roger Clark
On 11/06/2013

Small world, Rita (above) and I were next door neigbours in the 60s.

By Roger Clark
On 18/06/2013

I was so surprised to see these photographs as they show some of my relatives. The third photo includes a picture of my two Great Aunts, Annie and Ciss, who were my grandad's two sisters (his name being Tom Tuffin), the ninth photo shows my Great Aunt Annie again with my Auntie Rene who married Ken Munt and had two daughters, Susan and Dinah. The eleventh photo not only shows my Auntie Rene but also my father (Ronald Tuffin). He is the one seated at the front at the left hand end. The photo below that shows my grandmother (Rose Tuffin) who is the one standing third from the left.

Ed: we have added numbers to the photos, and included the names (but not the relationships) you have mentioned.

By Barbara Stickley (formerly Tuffin)
On 11/02/2014
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