Great grandma whose voice was once heard across Sunderland turns 100

Since her younger years, Dorothy Thompson, nee Critchley, has always had a love of dramatic arts and, despite there being fewer educational opportunities for women in the 1930s, pursued her passion by training at Manchester Repertory Company and securing a job with the company.

It led to a life-long love of acting and performing which the grandma of three and great-grandma of six, who lives in Tunstall, juggled with raising her family.

As war broke out, like so many, she put her chosen career to one side and did her bit for the war effort, working as a secretary with Avro aviation company at RAF Waddington.

Daughter Carol Moore, who also lives in Tunstall, said: “Mum was an only child and the acting urge was born in her, unhindered by parental discipline.

"When she was at RAF Waddington, it also instilled in her a life-long love of aeroplanes, which she still has today.”

It was while at the airbase that Dorothy met her future husband, rear gunner Jim Thompson, who would later be decorated with the DFM, distinguished flying medal.

After the war, the pair married and Dorothy was able to pick up her acting, going on to be awarded an honours diploma at LAMDA, The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.

She later became a qualified teacher in voice production and dramatic art, teaching in Manchester, before Jim’s job as a sales rep with Peter England shirts brought the couple and their two children, Carol and Michael, to Sunderland in 1950.

A chance meeting with Doris Richmond, a producer with Mayville and Coronets Players, led to Dorothy joining the company and she performed in many plays in the ‘50s and ‘60s at the long-gone Little Theatre in Fawcett Street, acting alongside friend Frank Finlay who would go on to become a celebrated TV and film actor.

It is perhaps Dorothy’s voice which would be best-known in Sunderland as during the ‘60s she took part in countless broadcasts for hospital radio, performing comedy segments to brighten the day of 2,500 patients across nine hospitals, making a twice-weekly commute from her then home in Northallerton.

She would later move to Stratford-upon-Avon, teaching music, speech, drama and yoga, while also writing published poems and working as a tour guide at Hall’s Croft, the former home of Shakespeare’s daughter, where she could also put her performance skills to good use.

Dorothy, who has been widowed for 36 years ago moved back to Sunderland six years to be closer to her family.

She’s been isolating due to the pandemic, but Carol is still hoping to give her a 100th birthday, which falls on December 8, to remember.

Carol said: “Mum is very laid back, but this year has been incredibly difficult and it can be awfully lonely for her. But my husband and I have been isolating so that we can see her on her birthday and give her a birthday tea with balloons.”

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