Dorothy Lilian (Dolly) Andrews - 1924-2021
Dorothy Lilian (Dolly) Andrews was born 19 September 1924, the daughter of Samuel Andrews and Florence May nee Covington she lived at West End, Ashwell with her siblings Florence (Minnie) and Kenneth.
One of Dolly’s earliest and most treasured memories was her Sunday afternoon excursions in Nathan Angell’s (Farmer/Butcher) pony and trap round the village. Florence, Dolly’s Mother, worked as a domestic for the Angell Family at Westpoint, Ashwell End.
Although Dolly never married she was a member of a loving family always active with her two nieces Elizabeth and Frances and their eight great nieces and nephews, plus great; great, great and even great, great, great nieces and nephews, she was a much loved aunt.
At the age of 14 Dolly left Ashwell school and went into service as a housekeeper to the Ashwell Congregational Church (now Ashwell United Reformed Church) Minister, Rev’d Perkins and his family at the Manse in Kingsland Way.
When the Perkins family retired they moved to Hitchin and Dolly moved with them continuing as housekeeper. When they sadly passed away, Dolly worked at a florist near St Mary’s Church, Hitchin until the late 1960s.
Later Dolly worked at Day’s the Bakers in the Ashwell shop as a shop assistant where she was well known by everyone in the village. She was an excellent baker herself and as one of her great nieces suggests, Dolly may well have picked up a few tips while working in the shop. Family favourites were Dolly’s mince pies, lemon curd tarts and orange marmalade, there were never any mince pies left at Christmas! Dolly loved working at Days working there until her retirement in the mid 1980’s.
Dolly had a long and happy retirement, she enjoyed holidays and outings, being an active member of village organisations, especially WI and the Over Sixty’s Club which she helped ran with May Cook at the AURC.
Dolly was a lady of great faith being an active member, elder and Sunday school secretary/treasurer at AURC for many years helping to organise events, flower arranging, cleaning etc she was always at Sunday service and was an expert tea/coffee maker, never happier than when she was being of service and being part of the church family.
Dolly moved to Wolverley House when it first opened in 1974 being one of the first and longest residents, she was always active organising coffee mornings, bingo etc and attending to anyone who needed help.
In later years Dolly was housebound, not being able to walk, and was always so grateful to visitors, family and friends especially to her family who would take her out in her wheelchair for a walk around the village – the village she loved so much – always wanting to visit the Cemetery, the AURC, then along the High Street to Day’s, finally down to Crumps and the Museum.
Dolly sadly passed away on Saturday 4 December 2021 after being unwell for three months. Dolly’s Thanksgiving Service was held on 6 January 2022 at Ashwell United Reformed Church where her ashes were scattered in the churchyard amongst her family and friends – she is missed by the entire community.
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