Mr & Mrs. Harry Dolling

One of the pioneers of the Labour Party in North Bucks, Mr. Harry Doling, celebrated his diamond wedding anniversary at his home 36 Field View, Castlethorpe, on Saturday with his wife, Maude.

Eighty-five-year-old Mr. Dolling devoted a life-time to public service, being a member of the parish council for more than 30 years and a Newport Pagnell rural district councillor for over 12 years.

Only ill-health put a halt to his public service and today Mr. Dolling still misses his involvement in local government.

Mr. Dolling has many vivid memories of the early elections in the Buckinghamshire constituency. Those were the days when Labour Party members had to be escorted by a policeman in Buckingham on election day because feelings ran so high.

Born at Castlethorpe, Mr. Doling became interested in the Labour movement during his Army service. When he was mobilised from the 3rd Royal Bucks Regiment in 1918 Mr. Dolling joined the Labour Party and helped for the Castlethorpe branch the same year.

He was sub-agent at general elections for a number of Labour candidates, and he is a former constituency party president, and served on the national executive of the Labour Party for 10 years.

At 16 Mr. Dolling went to work at Wolverton and was for half a century in the paint Shop. He was shop steward for a number of years and for 45 years a member of the railway ambulance competition team.

But Mr. Dolling’s retirement did not mean the end of his link with the railways, for the main line runs at the bottom of his half acre of garden.

Mr. Dolling like all villagers, regrets the recent pulling down of the railway station.

Life has changed little in Castlethorpe during Mr. and Mrs. Dolling’s years in the village but there are plans to expand the population. He does not think much of the proposals, saying “village life is disappearing much too fast.”

Gardening and walking used to be Mr. Dolling’s hobbies when he retired but a stroke about eight years ago, which forced his retirement from local government, also put a stop to his hobbies. Now he very rarely leaves the village.

Mrs. Dolling came to Castlethorpe with her parents when 18 and lived next door at 34 Field View. Many people remember her for her hard work when the Labour League of Youth was founded in Castlethorpe.

Long and happy marriages seem to run in the Dolling family for his twin brother Jack, who lives at Loughton, celebrates his 60 years of marriage at Christmas. There have been five golden weddings in the family.

Mr. and Mrs. Dolling have one son, Arthur, who lives with them, and a grand-daughter. Their daughter-in-law died 15 years ago.