PARISH PROFILE

For Dot Entwistle, history is not merely a collection of facts but is a living, and often personal, connection with days gone by. Her main involvement these days is with the ‘Sealed Knot’, the Civil War re-enactment society which brings to life battles from the English Civil War. But a look at Dot's own history gives a fascinating glimpse of the not so distant past.

Dot (christened Dorothy) was born on 15th September 1940 – what is now known as Battle of Britain day. This was after her mother had been evacuated from Coventry to an emergency hospital in what is now Stratford's Civic Hall in Rother Street. From her early childhood until 1967 she lived at Bearley, before moving to Smatchley Lodge at Walton where she has spent the past 44 years.

When Dot was growing up, few people in Bearley had cars – just the doctors, farmers, the vicar and Lord Mills at the manor. But many people had motorbikes, including Dot's father and brothers. So when Dot was sixteen she had her first bike – a 250 BSA C.11. This love of bikes and road transport in general was to lead to some fascinating developments in Dot's later career. For many years she was secretary to the County Librarian at the County Library HQ in Warwick. Then in 1981 Dot became a road safety officer with Warwickshire County Council. During this time she became a motorcycle instructor (riding her Honda 250 VT Twin), as well as a trainer of HGV drivers and minibus drivers. She also assessed gritter lorry drivers for NVQ certificates.

She was, in fact, the first lady gritter driver in Warwickshire, although her regular duties restricted her to only a couple of sorties. She later managed the driver improvement scheme, the alternative to collecting points on a licence. Following retirement from the Council she worked at the Heritage Motor Centre at Gaydon where she became involved in further driver training projects.

Dot has a son who is a tree surgeon (Ashley Thompson – Future Forests) and a daughter Lorraine (Sam) who was a teacher but is now a full time mother to four-year-old Amy. Ashley has two young sons, Jack and Ben.

Divorced after fourteen years of marriage Dot later reverted back from Thompson to her maiden name of Entwistle. Dot has been involved in many organisations in the past including the St John's Ambulance Brigade and the Scouts and is a current member of Walton Parochial Church Council. Her involvement in the Sealed Knot brings in some of her other pastimes such as sewing and embroidery, caravanning and visiting historic properties. She was once a keen Morris Dancer and danced at festivals in the UK and abroad. She is a member of the University of the Third Age and its family history group is one of her passions. Currently she has a Labrador – Oates. In the past she has had many cats, dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, goats, hens, geese, ducks and pigeons.

Dot has fond memories of her years in Walton. These include taking her children to Mrs Newbury's little shop/post office to buy sweets; going with the children to the open air swimming pool at Walton Hall when the public were allowed to use it; and ‘Sunday School’ at Helen Harper's at Dene House. Walton for Dot is a beautiful unspoilt place surrounded by wildlife – a typical estate village – a living link with our rural past.

NLB