Walter George Sims – Douglas Smith – David Ralph Trott

Walter George Sims (1931-2015)

Walter was born at Bookham, Buckland Newton 22nd May 1931. He was the youngest of five children born to Frank and Lavinia Maud Sims. The family moved to Piddlehinton, where Walter spent most of his childhood attending school there and making long term friends. Walter married in 1952 and lived with his wife and parents at Bank Cottages on the same site where the new “Banks Cottages” now stand. He worked for Cyril Green at Swan Lane.

Walter worked on a variety of farms in Dorset, he moved around the country but was always drawn back to Piddlehinton, his roots, he never forgot his friends and was a regular at the village fete where he would catch up with some of those friends, some of whom he went to school with.

Walter was diagnosed with dementia, and when his health declined it was agreed that he would benefit from living closer to his family. In October 2014 he went to live in residential care at Taunton, Somerset.

Although suffering with dementia he would often talk of Piddlehinton, friends and childhood antics and could tell a tale or two, always conscious of his humble beginnings.

In the summer of 2015 Walter welcomed two great-great-grandsons making him the head of five generations.

Walter passed away on 13th December 2015 in Musgrove Hospital, Taunton. His burial took place at St. Mary the Virgin Piddlehinton on 22nd December.

He is now at peace resting in the same churchyard as his parents and sister Ivy. He lays next to a friend and with others that he knew and grew up with.

Donations made in memory of Walter amounted to £220 and will be divided between St. Mary the Virgin Church and the British Heart Foundation. It is a great comfort to the family knowing Walter is back home where he wanted to be, and they would like to thank all those who attended the funeral and extend their thanks to Alan Neades, Fay Lord, John Hudson, Thimble Inn, and Tony Monds for his advice.

Kathleen Darby (Daughter)

Douglas Smith (1931-2011)

Doug was born at March in Cambridgeshire, the eldest of three brothers and one sister. His father was an agricultural HGV driver and the family lived in a cottage tied to his work. He left March school at 14 to work on the farm, interrupted by National Service in the Royal Artillery during which he earned his HGV driving licence, in Nicosia, the first time he had left England.

After National Service, Doug settled down to family life and Sandra and Beverley were born. Now he was qualified to drive lorries for a living, first on the farm, then 28 years for his brother Dudley’s haulage business, and 12 more years for a large operator near Wisbech. It was a hard life, very long hours, getting up in the early hours to take loads to London, to Wales or the North of England.

He loved to be with his family and every weekend they would go into town shopping on a Saturday and out for a trip every Sunday, Doug driving; he hated being driven!

When Doug found himself on his own again, his daughter, Sandra persuaded him to go on a blind date with his brother, Dudley, his sister-in-law Pat, daughter Sandra, and a lady called Eileen who Dudley knew through work. They all met at the Polgate Inn near Swaffham, it was love at first sight and Doug and Eileen married in 1983. As well as his own two daughters, Doug took on Eileen’s three sons whom he treated as his own. He also took on Eileen’s mother who lived with her at the time.

On retirement, Doug agreed to move from the flat and tree-less Cambridgeshire to Eileen’s native Dorset, with its rolling hillsides, woodlands and hedgerows, settling at Wightmans Orchard in 1995. There Doug spent time gardening, playing bingo, shopping for neighbours who could not get out so easily, in fact helping anyone he could. He enjoyed beating on the Alton Pancras shoot where latterly he drove the beaters’ wagon.

When illness struck a year or so back, he was hugely appreciative of the care he received, especially from Dr Dobbs. “I couldn’t have had better if I had been a millionaire” he said. He resisted extending his chemotherapy, preferring the quality of his time with Eileen, his daughters, sons, grand and great-grandchildren rather than the length. Doug was a popular and contented man, who will be missed enormously but remembered with great affection.

David Ralph Trott (1946-2013)

David was born at Beaulieu Wood, Buckland Newton on his parents’ wedding anniversary, some ten months or so after his father returned from two years away in France during the war. His childhood was spent with his parents Norman and Vera, and older sister Joy.

The family moved to Kiddles Farm, Piddletrenthide, in the shadow of the church, while David was still at school. In 1964 the white faces of the Herefords started to arrive at the farm. The herd went on to become a well respected one and have many successes at the various agricultural shows. David was a keen sportsman in his youth and a member of Dorchester Young Farmers. He was also a keen skittler, and a member of the Hunt League. He married Jane on his 21st birthday and after a short spell living in Plush they moved back to Kiddles Farm. They have two children Wendy and Lynne and three grandchildren, Tristan, Maddie and Poppy.

David died at home on Monday 30 September 2013.