lottery boost for the community hall in its - Charmouth

Dorothy & Leslie Oxenbury
in the mid-1950s
Oxenbury Family Memories, Part 1
Dorothy Kathleen Muriel
Legg was born in Halstock
in 1911 and was educated
in Crewkerne. When she was
18 years-of-age, her family
moved to Great Coombe Farm,
Wootton Fitzpaine, where she
met local coach builder Leslie
John Oxenbury. After the
couple married in 1932, they
moved to Romany in Lower
Sea Lane.
Dorothy joined the Red Cross
in 1944 and attended lectures
and nursing demonstrations in
preparation for her initial
examinations in home nursing
and first aid, which she
passed the following year.
Many more examinations
followed and in 1954 she became Miss Joan Whittington’s
deputy. Miss Whittington had been a nurse during the war
and, together with her sisters, ran Charmouth’s ambulance
service – a service that also covered Whitchurch
Canonicorum, Wootton Fitzpaine and Morecombelake. When
Miss Whittington retired, Dorothy took the helm.
Taxi driver George Rowland drove the ambulance and Billy
Gear of Gear’s Garage (located just west of the Abbots
House) generously paid George’s wages, thus providing his
services free of charge to the Red Cross. Dr Arthur
Chamberlain, who was based at Askew House, frequently
used the ambulance for his patients, while Dorothy and
Hazel Clarke provided first aid cover at fetes and other local
events. Dorothy was frequently called to beach emergencies
and, on one occasion, tried to resuscitate a girl who,
tragically, became trapped under the river Char footbridge.
Red Cross meetings were held at Romany, and Elsie Bragg,
Ruby Pennells, Jill Linthorne, Yvonne Fiddler and Hazel
Clarke were amongst the regular attendees who heard Dr
Chamberlain and several doctors from Bridport talk about
different aspects of nursing. Throughout the years Dorothy
organised fund-raising events for the Red Cross, including
cream teas on Romany’s front lawn and sales of knickknacks
and Hazel’s home-made toys. She became
Commandant of Detachment 102 of the Dorset Branch in
1958, eight years after being made Assistant Commandant.
In 1958, when the Duchess of Marlborough was President of
the Red Cross, a Christian Dior fashion show was held at
Blenheim Palace in aid of the charity. Dorothy sold
programmes to the 1,650 guests, including guest-of-honour
Princess Margaret.
In the 1960s she spent two weeks each summer helping
disabled children and adults enjoy their holiday at Pontin’s
Osmington Bay campsite.
One day Dorothy was called to the roadside by Nutcombe
Terrace and remained with a dying motorcyclist while the
ambulance took an injured girl to hospital. Her family recall
that the incident affected her. Shortly afterwards she
developed diabetes.
In 1975 Dorothy was presented with a British Red Cross
Society Certificate for meritorious service, and in 1979 she
received a Badge of Honour and Life Membership in
recognition of her devoted service. Sadly, the local branch
Page 6
was disbanded when Dorothy’s diabetes worsened and no
one else took over.
In addition to her many Red Cross commitments, Dorothy
ran a bed and breakfast business at Romany. She started
the Char Valley Over Sixties Club in the 1960s and
organised the annual Christmas lunches at the Village (WI)
Hall. For many years she ran a chiropody clinic for the
elderly, disabled and expectant mothers and the Lyme
Regis six monthly blood donor sessions. She enjoyed
embroidery and was skilled in the Dorset stitch, which she
exhibited at a Dorset Arts & Crafts exhibition in 1957. In
later life Dorothy took up bridge, which she played with Win
North in Parkway the night before her sudden death in 1987.
Dorothy was a popular lady with a strong community spirit,
who wholeheartedly involved herself in the life of the village.
Her only son, Ronald John Oxenbury, lives with his wife
Gwen at Greenbanks in Lower Sea Lane.
With thanks to Gwen and Ron, who will contribute their own
memories in the winter issue of Shoreline.
Char Valley Over Sixties Club Christmas Lunch in the
Village Hall, 1960s –
Left to right, Elsie Bragg, ?, Dorothy Oxenbury, Ruby
Pennells, Jean Bowditch, Fred Morgan, ?, ?, Hazel Clarke;
gentleman in foreground unknown Please let Shoreline
know if you can help name those featured in this
photograph
Lesley Dunlop
Hensleigh near the sea ....sand.....fossils......
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