A former Trowbridge resident Dorothy Baston died at the Goodson Lodge care home on November 3 aged 91.

Dorothy May Parr entered this world on December 4 1932, the first daughter of proud parents Leslie and Eva Parr.

She was Trowbridge born and raised at Stainers Buildings where the billboard and flower bed are now by the mini roundabout to Castle Street and St Stephen’s Place.

Dorothy was a descendant of Richard Turner, the first town crier of Trowbridge, and his son William Turner who led the procession for the memorial for King Edward VII on May 20 1910.

Dorothy, better known as Dot, was baptised in St James’ Church on January 22 1933 and was to become the eldest of four daughters. Her younger sisters are Eunice, Joyce (Jo) and Sylvia.

After an early years education at Newtown Junior School Dot went to Nelson Haden Modern Secondary Girls School.

She was also a Girl Guide and took her promise on January 17 1946, to do at least one good deed a day. The ethos to treat people as you would like to be treated and to be prepared’ was one, she would live by her entire life and impart to her family.

As well as cousins Elsie (Else), Doreen (Daw), Irene (Rene) and Wally (who sang at Dot’s wedding), the girls had other friends and neighbours at Stainers Buildings until they were demolished in the mid-1960s.

Dot’s father worked for many years in the town cinemas – The Kinema and Gaumont. When Dot was old enough, she would help polish the brass handrails and pick up the litter left under the seats between performances. Later she would usher customers to their seats.

Unbeknown to her, around the same time, a scrap of a lad who was the local ARP messenger boy, called Roy, would watch the Saturday movie matinees in full uniform until the town hall siren sounded and he had to jump into action taking the warning to villages without an air raid siren.

Dot eventually met her future husband Roy at the Woolley Cycle Track. Whilst courting they used to hire a tandem and cycle to Weston super Mare, via Cheddar, or Amesbury and other local beauty spots.

They married on March 24 1951 when Dot was 19. The couple honeymooned on the Isle of Wight, which became one of their favourite family holiday destinations.

Roy’s family were originally from Reading, but he was born in Holt. The village they would eventually call home.

When Dot and Roy got married, they lived next door to Dot’s parents. Elizabeth was born the following year, closely followed by Lynda. Dot and Roy moved to Holt and had two more daughters. Hilary and then Debbie.

Dot’s mum sadly died in 1956, so Dot also helped her father and Eunice, then only 18, to look after Jo (14) and Sylvia (10).

Dot’s work life included being a machinist for Chapmans, cutting chamois into shape for J & T Beaven in Holt, cooking in the Beaven’s canteen with Shirley, party planning and selling for Pippa Dee and Dee Minor, Tupperware and Webb Ivory, and at retirement was a shop assistant in HB Pitts.

But work was only a means to an end as Dot’s greatest pleasure was her family and the local community, including fundraising activities over the years for many good causes. She was also a Royal British Legion Poppy Seller for about 25 years.

Her funeral service was held at the West Wiltshire Crematorium in Semington on Monday, November 25.