| Code | DS/UK/114 |
| Dates | 1891-1975 |
| Person Name | Greenwood; John Eric (1891-1975); Director of Boots |
| Surname | Greenwood |
| Forenames | John Eric |
| Activity | J.E.Greenwood was born on the 23rd Jul 1891. He joined Boots on 30th January 1920 at the invitation of Sir Jesse Boot, he was immediately given a directorship of the Eastern Company. By the following July he was made Director of the Main Board and in October 1951 he was appointed Vice-Chairman.
Greenwood was educated at Dulwich College and gained an M.A. and L.L.B. at Kings College, Cambridge. He subsequently became an Associate of the Institute of Chartered Accountants. During the First World War he enlisted as a Private, was promoted to Sergeant, and was finally transferred to the Grenadier Guards. He was demobilised in 1919 after serving on the Western Front. For 32 years he was President of the Nottingham Branch of the Grenadier Guards Old Comrades Association.
John married Miss D.M.Radford, of Lincoln Circus,The Park, Nottingham in 1921.
During his career with Boots, he was the first Director to be responsible for all staff and was well known for his frequent visits to branches. He was also the first Expense Controller. Perhaps his biggest role in Boots however was overseeing the selling of the company for Jesse Boot to the American businessman Louis K Liggett in 1920.
Greenwood gave much of his time to public service. He was the Chairman of the Nottingham Defence Bonds Committee for 12 years, he was also a Justice of the Peace for a number of years and served on a number of Government Commissions.
He was also well known for his rugby playing, he played for Cambridge five times, captaining the side in 1912 and 1919. He played for England 13 times, serving as Captain in all matches during 1920. He was President of the Rugby Football Union between 1935-1937.
John Greenwood retired from the Boots Company in 1953. He died suddenly on his 84th birthday on the 12 June 1975. |
| MilitaryService | WWI |
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