Birthday celebrations were in full swing at The Lawn, our Alton-based residential care home, as tennis loving resident, Dorothy Cory, enjoyed a match perfect 90th Birthday.
Dorothy has lived at The Lawn for over seven years, becoming a full-time resident in March 2018. During World War II, Dorothy’s Father – Herbie – joined the Army and was commissioned to India and Burma for five years. Young Dorothy and her Mother – Annie, who liked to be called Nan – moved around quite a lot during the war but mainly lived at her Grandmother’s house in Chawton.
“My Grandparents house, Clinker Cottage, was – and still is – next-door to where Jane Austen lived,” said Dorothy. “As I got older, I found out that when Jane arrived in Chawton, she had already written three draft novels – Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice and Northanger Abbey. Evidently, she revised these novels at her Chawton home before getting them published. Jane also wrote Mansfield Park, Emma and Persuasion whilst she lived there too.”
Interestingly, The Lawn Care Home where Dorothy now lives used to be home to another novelist, Elizabeth Gaskell. Elizabeth who wrote a variety novels, short stories, and a biography, the most famous being Mary Barton, North and South, Cranford, and Wives and Daughters and a biography of her friend, Charlotte Brontë, titled The Life of Charlotte Brontë.
Once the war was over, Dorothy’s Father returned and together the family moved to East Tisted, a small village between Gosport and Alton. Dorothy then became an older sister to Katherine and Geoffrey – who still lives in Chawton today.
Dorothy loves tennis and used to be a keen player. “I met my Husband, Peter, at the tennis courts in East Tisted,” continued Dorothy. “I suppose you could say it was Game, Set and Match when we met. I saw Peter, he had a puncture in his bicycle tyre and was repairing it on the roadside. We got chatting and our friendship blossomed into love and, before long, we got married in East Tisted Church in June in the late 1950s.”
The adventurous newlyweds moved to Four Marks, a village just outside of Alton. “We didn’t know at the time, but Four Marks is 630 feet above sea level and the Four Marks station on the Watercress Line, or the heritage Mid-Hants Railway as it’s also known, is the highest in Hampshire,” continued Dorothy.
Dorothy and Peter purchased a small plot of land in the village and built a bungalow. “We worked all hours,” added Dorothy. “We were there working away in the evenings after work and at weekends, but it was worth it.”
The happy couple became parents to their daughter Alison and son, Andrew. “Once we had the children, our bungalow became a bit cramped, so we sold up, bought another piece of land just up the road in Telegraph Lane and madly did it all again! I was looking after two small children, Peter was working, but we managed to build a bigger family bungalow, it was lovely.
“Whilst we were building our new home, we all lived in a wooden shed which Peter had built for us, but we all slept in a caravan. Of course, our timing was impeccable as this was during the winter of 1962 which was one of the coldest winters on record in England,” continued Dorothy.
“I remember how cold it was with temperatures plummeting to minus 20C. The weather was so severe and relentless, the sea actually froze over one mile from the shore in Herne Bay in Kent. It also froze in Whitstable and along the upper reaches of the River Thames too.”
Whilst living in their lovely new bungalow, Dorothy and Peter became parents again to Janet, Sara and James. “Even though I was always busy looking after the family, which I loved, I still went out to work,” added Dororthy. “I have a calling to care for others, so I took a job working part-time as a Night Chef at Treloar’s Hospital, cooking for the Night Nursing Team. I did this for many years, but when the Night Kitchen closed, I became a Nursing Auxiliary at the hospital, working the night shift.”
Dorothy was then moved to Basingstoke District Hospital where she continued to care for others as a Health Care Assistant. “I didn’t fancy retiring, as I loved my job and caring and supporting others was so rewarding. I worked for several years past my retirement age and worked until I was 67-years-old,” continued Dorothy.
Dorothy also worked for many years as the Timekeeper for Alton Cycling Club, volunteered for Meals on Wheels in Four Marks and Ropley and was often called upon to babysit her Grandchildren when they were small. “I’ve got a wonderful family and I’m a very proud Grandmother to 12 Grandchildren and nine Great Grandchildren so far, but I’m still counting on a few more,” added Dorothy.
Keen Knitter and Gardener, Dorothy not only knitted baby clothes for her Grandchildren, but also knitted a number of jumpers. “My Grandson loved Thomas the Tank Engine,” recalled Dorothy. “I knitted him his very own Thomas jumper and he loved it. In fact, he loved it so much, it was hard to get him to wear anything else.”
“Dorothy is a lovely lady and a wonderful resident,” said Steve Swift, the Registered Manager at The Lawn. “As an avid tennis fan, when Wimbledon is on, she’s glued to the television and watches every match, but still finds time to join in with many of our wide range of activities we have taking place every day.
“Dorothy is so kind and caring and has lots of friends throughout the care home. She knows everyone and always makes time to have a chat and catch-up with what people have been getting up to.”
“Dorothy is also extremely good at crossword puzzles, her spelling is brilliant – there’s no way I’d finish a crossword as quickly as Dorothy does,” added Catalina Constantin, The Lawn’s Activities Coordinator.
“Throughout her life, Dorothy has always been ready and willing to help anybody who needed her help, and she still offers a helping hand to those who need her. Dorothy is a much loved member of The Lawn family, and it is a real honour and joy to have her living here with us,” continued Steve.
“I’ve had a really lovely 90th Birthday, surrounded by my loved ones, care home friends and the great care home team, I couldn’t have asked for a better day,” concluded Dorothy.
Find out more about The Lawn care home by calling 01420 84162 or emailing enquiries@fote.org.uk.