Weston's Grocery Store

102 Southdown Road, Harpenden

Bertie Weston, my Grandad, was born in 1888 and was one of twelve children, eleven boys and one girl.  He leaves school at 13 and works at one of the Village Grocery stores as an assistant and delivery boy.  On his return from France in 1919, he opens his own grocer’s shop at 102 Southdown Road.  The shop is Weston’s grocers next to the Oggelsby garage at the foot of Walkers’ Road.  It is here in the spacious rooms on the first and second floor that my mother grows up.

At the side of the shop is a passageway which leads to their rear garden and also gives access to the back gardens of the cottages known as Providence Place, the fronts of which face the green area also known as the Triangle (another Triangle is near Harpenden common) but one which separates Walkers Road from Southdown Road.  One cottage in Providence Place houses the Pearce family.  Nan Pearce and my mother, Rene Weston, grow up together and are best friends.

During the Second World War, my grandfather was an ARP Warden and my grandparents also had two evacuees staying with them.  My mother returned to live with them in the flat over the shop after my father was called up in early 1940.

I remember being in Grandad’s shop where he sold broken biscuits by weight as well as other foodstuffs.

Comments about this page

  • I have a Lillian Weston (1877) on my tree who was the second child of Frederick and Sarah nee Giddings. He/frederick was the son of Joseph and Martha ((Hawkins). Not sure of the relationship to my grandfather but I will look further. I can’t find a Cecil Field on my tree but if you think this is useful my tree is on Genes Reunited.

    By Dinah (Di) Castle nee Munt (05/12/2023)
  • We have a copy of this photograph in our family. We understand that the boy in the picture is my grandfather Cecil Field (1909-1999), who was born in Southdown. His mother was Lilian Weston (1876-1962) who I think must have been a relative of Bertie, but I’m not sure exactly how they were related. Maybe somebody can help?

    By Marcus Field (19/11/2023)

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