Dolly and Basil
Dolly and Basil where my exwife`s grandparents and this is a little of their story.
I first met Dolly and Basil when they where both in the later years of their life .They lived in a tied cottage on the George Coopers estate in Hurstley Hampshire .Their cottage was nearly into the woodland and their nearest neighbour was approx 1 mile away .In the early days the cottage had no running water, their light was by oil lamp and the toilet was down the garden (and it was a large garden for them to look after and being country folk grew all their own vegetables )Basil had been employed on the estate as a gamekeeper among other duties, although they lived far out of the village they where both part of village life .If they wanted to go shopping they had to walk approx two and a half miles to the nearest bus stop to Winchester .They also  had a close circle of friend`s that visited them and also took them out for day trips one of them was Norma Cawte along with Norma and ourselves and other friends and relations they managed an good life for many years.
To continue here is their love story.
Basil was in the Navy in the first World War his first wife was pregnant with their first child . During the birth there where complications and his wife died .Dolly at that time was a nurse in the same hospital (these where the days the ward kept a cat on duty )and took pity on the lonly child and in her spare time which wasn`t a lot in those days and used to take the baby out for walks .On the occasions that Basil could get home he also went out on these trips and over a period of time they fell in love and married .
This began a relationship until Dolly died (I will come to this later ) At this time they where both in their twenties. Basil continued in the Navy and fought in the Russian convoys and also saw the first bi-plane to take of from a ship while on the high seas. When demobed he went to work on the George Cooper estate at Hurstley Nr Romsey (now the headquarters of part of the IBM organisation) and they went to live in the cottage I described earlier
The child Rose (my ex wife`s Mother) never forgave her Father for marrying Dolly and right to Dolly`s death did not have many conversations or associations. But my Wife had great love for the couple and as I got to know them both become great friends and loved them dearly (although Basil could be very difficult at times and go of not talking) Dolly in all the years I knew them never had a bad word for anyone in her view there was no such thing as bad and would not listen to gossip. She also told everyone Basil was her only love in life.
When they reached the age of over ninety years the estate decided to move them into the village and at this great age had to leave their wilderness home for a house on the main road in the village and have people living next door .Although they where reluctant at first the move it turned out a success .The house was modern electric light with gas cooking and a telephone.
Part of my duty towards them was that I  phoned them every day we did not visit just to make sure everything was ok as Dolly had began to forget things. One day when I called she just said Basil was laying on the floor to her this was not a problem in her mind, but in fact he had fallen over and hit his head and could not move .By the time I had driven over there Norma had called the doctor and decided Basil was required to go to hospital .But here was a BIG problem they would not separate .I had no choice but to follow them both to the hospital and after long negotiations the administrator found a place where they could have two beds pushed together with curtains around (this had never been actioned in the hospital before).The social service people decided after a few days that they could not go home again and live alone  and when I broke this news it was heartbreaking for both of them to loose the home they had together. They where then moved temporarily into a geriatric ward of a different hospital this did not go down well with both of them as they where both very much with it and every visit to them Basil complained bitterly  .After lots of searching I found a home that would take them both and they moved within days .I visited them the next day and Basil wanted out He was so unhappy the doors where locked due to the violent people staying there. All his life up to then he was used to going anywhere he wanted also he would not eat their food .I then had some help from Age Concern and then I then found a place called The Old Parsonage” in Otterbourne near to where they lived .We where shown a large room with bathroom and a beautiful view of the garden where wild animals could be seen, Basil had to accepted this was the best option and they moved again, here could go anywhere and they would cook what he wanted ,even marmite toast in the night .Most of the other residence where monied people but this did not make any difference to there welcome and they lived happily together. They lived the life of pure luxury for nearly two years and in fairly good heath .
One morning Dolly just didn`t wake up and went into a coma ,she was in her 99th year .Although the place was not a nursing home they looked after her and we sat with her at nights .She lasted just under a week before she died with Basil by her side .
He would not go to her funeral and said he would not say good by. On the day of her funeral he announced he would follow her and although he was not ill died within a few days aged 98, it was said of a broken heart.He was buried in the same plot on a hill overlooking their old village where they had lived most of their lives together .
Their love for each other lasted over 60 year`s and Dolly was someone everyone could love without conditionÂ
