The Best Years

A Memory of Dodleston.

We moved to Dodleston in 1975 and left sadly in 1998. They were the happiest years. My children went to the villiage school and there were just 12 children then. The community feeling was great and the Whelmar estate hadn't been built. The community used to go to the field at the back of St. Mary's Road and we used to play cricket. In the winter my husband and Ken Davey (who were cowmen and worked for John Lloyd at Moat Farm) used to organise a disco in the old village hall and we used to bake scones and make baked potatoes to take down. Sometimes they used to organise a Junior Disco which all the village children thought was great. My husband also used to take the boys for football on a Wednesday afternoon with the Headmistress's permission, Mrs. Robinson. The community spirit was very strong and supportive. They were the best days and I really miss the village although things have changed quite a bit, but I would still love to go back to live. In December we all used to go carol singing around the village and we would come back home the worst for wear from all the sherry and mulled wine which was offered to us! And of course we had our Christmas and New Year parties to. Everyone was friendly we all new one another and we all helped to set up the Dodleston Village Festival which again my husband started. We had a steak and strawberry evening afterwards and Bill Hughes from St. Mary's Road used to be the official Chef cooking the steaks which tasted great, and also Mrs. Lloyd from Moat Farm used to supply food as well. It was an idyllic place to live and our children could not have had a better place to grow up. So here's to you Dodleston, may you always be a village and not get swallowed by more buildings or lose your community spirit.

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