About Doreen
Grandma was born in 1944 in Seaton Burn, Northumberland - not too far from Newcastle. Her family had lived in Northumberland for generations - years ago she managed to trace the majority of her ancestors back to Bamburgh (a border town between Scotland and England) where they had been cobblers by trade.
She was the first of her family to go to university - she studied French and German with Art and Architecture at Newcastle. She then went on to do her teacher training course, where she met my grandad, Malcolm. Grandma taught French and German and ended up the Deputy Head at her school in Blaydon, while Grandad was a sciences teacher at a nearby school.
Grandma was very involved in public service. She was elected the mayor of Prudhoe in 1989 and served two terms as chair of the former Tynedale District Council, serving 27 years on both councils.
She was also appointed as a Deputy Lieutenant and I have very fond memories of her getting ready (and choosing one of her many hats) to go to the Duke of Northumberland’s (who was the local Lord Lieutenant) garden parties at their home in Alwnick Castle.
Grandma was a Justice of the Peace (magistrate) and chaired the local branch for the Justices of the Peace when it was located in Hexham. I also remember hearing all her stories about the more interesting court cases, and being wary of all the ‘bad people’ in Morpeth when I was a child!