Stephanie Brady and Walter and Paula Bolton: personal papers

The Boltons and Steffi Brady and her husband Edward Brady met in England and became life-long friends. Steffi Brady's children only learned about their Jewish origins after their mother's death.

Walter Thomas Bolton (1904-1991, formerly Walter Böhmer) grew up in Vienna, Austria. After his mother died he and his brother Egon (1901-1944) grew up separately with different aunts. Walter became a goldsmith and his brother qualified as a solicitor. In 1936 he got married to Paula Stephanie Bolton (née Heinzel, 1909-1980), a Roman Catholic. The passing of the new Nazi laws meant that Paula had to decide whether to divorce Walter or be considered Jewish. She chose to stay with Walter. They emigrated to England in 1938 with the help of the Society of Friends and lived with the Bruderhof community in Ashton Keynes. After leaving the group they settled in Watford. Walter was interned at Douglas, Isle of Man, between May and December 1940. He joined the Pioneer Corps as an interpreter clerk in December that year and subsequently changed his name to Walter Thomas Bolton. After the war he returned to Watford. Walter Bolton's father, Markus Böhmer (1862-1942), was killed at Theresienstadt concentration camp. His brother, Egon Böhmer, was deported to Theresienstadt in 1942 and two years later transported to Auschwitz concentration camp where he died.
Paula Bolton met Steffi Brady (née Kohn), also a Jewish refugee who arrived in England in 1939, at the Sun Printers where they both worked. The Boltons and Steffi and Edward Brady remained life-long friends. Steffi Brady's children did not know about their Jewish background until their mother's death in 1984 when family friend Walter Bolton revealed their mother's background and circumstances as requested by Steffi Brady. Steffi Brady lost her parents and sister Herta in the Holocaust. They were transported to a concentration camp in Poland in 1942. Her brothers managed to escape: Hugo emigrated to Italy and Heini to Finland. She got married to Edward John Brady in 1941.

Walter Bolton’s papers

Donated May 2008

Donor: Kath Pearce