Saint Bartholomew’s Church
Dorothy Mollekin (known as Dollie), the daughter of John Mollekin and Jennie Slingsby, is my great aunt and sister of my grandfather, John Gilbert Mollekin.
Dollie was born 1899 in Hull and in 1923 married Frederick James Shearing. Together, they issued four children.
Dollie lived on the next street, at 47 Springfield Road, Listerdale, to my father’s family home on Melciss Road.
47 Springfield Road
I have fond memories of visiting Dollie every Christmas, bearing gifts, with my father. Before or after seeing Dollie, we would visit her sister, Jennie, who lived in Rotherham. My father always used to tell me though that I should not let on to either sister that we had visited the other. I do not know why Dollie and Jennie didn’t speak, but I suspect it was over the living arrangements of their father after his wife had died in 1943. I did let slip during one visit however to Dollie that we’d visited Jennie. The response was a stare and silence!
Dollie with son Doug
I remember Dollie having a fine collection of various soft toys on a bed in one of her spare bedrooms. She kindly invited me to take one and I chose a Golliwog. Dollie helped my father with his Mollekin genealogical research in the 1980s and I remember her giving to him a couple of 19th century German religious books. She also gave my father the address of my American cousin, to whom he wrote a number of years later.
Myself, my father and my sister last visited great aunt Jennie, perhaps in the summer of 1984 or 1985. Jennie gave me a pound and I remember her proudly showing us a clock that had been awarded to her husband for long service in his workplace. Jennie made us promise that we would visit again and we agreed, but we never did. We visited the following Christmas and there was nobody home. My father assumed that she’d passed away. Years later I discovered that Jennie hadn’t died until 1993; her husband, John Trevis Webster, had died in 1987. They’d died without issue but had left over £100,000 that I imagine wasn’t claimed and went to the Crown.
Helena Kohler, Jack Mollekin, Dollie Mollekin & Hilda Mollekin
Dollie’s husband, Frederick, died relatively young in 1950.
THE ADVERTISER, SAT., MAY 27th, 1950
SHEARING. – On May 22nd, at Rotherham Hospital, Doncaster Gate, Fred, aged 55, loved husband of Dorothy, and dear father of Donald, Douglas and Dorothy.
Mrs. Shearing and family thank the doctor and staff of Princess Mary Ward for their kind attention; also Cannon Sorby-Briggs and all friends for their kindness during Mr. Shearing’s long illness.
Rotherham Hospital
Dorothy died in 1992 and I remember attending her funeral.
Below is a newspaper article published shortly after Dorothy’s marriage to Frederick.
THE ADVERTISER, SATURDAY, JANUARY 20, 1923.
A Maltby Wedding.
PRETTY CEREMONY AT THE VILLAGE CHURCH.
No wedding of recent years in Maltby has attracted more attention than that of Miss Dorothy (Dollie) Mollekin, second daughter of Mr. J. and Nurse Mollekin, of “Rossmoyne,” Rotherham road, Maltby, to Mr. Fred Shearing, eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. A. H. Shearing, of Munford, Norfolk. The wedding took place on Thursday at the Parish Church, Maltby, and was as pretty as it was interesting. The officiating clergymen were the Rev. H. W. Mackay (Vicar of St. George’s, Sheffield, and late Vicar of Maltby), assisted by the Rev. C. E. Hughes, M. A. (Vicar of Maltby). The service was fully choral, the hymn “The Voice that Breathed O’er Eden” and the 67th Psalm being sung. Mr. Laver officiated at the organ, and played the “Wedding March” as the bridal party left the church. The bride looked charming in a dress of ivory crepe-de-chene, trimmed with silver, and with veil of orange blossom, and she carried a bouquet of arum lilies and chrysanthemums. She wore a gold bangle, the gift of the bridegroom. She was given away by her father, and was attended by “Flossie” and “Ivy” (sister and cousin) as senior bridesmaids, and Misses Lily Cook and Kathy Chapman as smaller bridesmaids. The senior bridesmaids wore pale blue crepe-de-chene, trimmed with silver, and veils with forget-me-nots. They carried bouquets of chrysanthemums, and wore gold brooches, the gifts of the bridegroom. The little girls wore pale blue opals, with lace slips over. They carried baskets of chrysanthemums, and wore silver pendants, presents of the bridegroom. The bride gave the bridegroom gold cuff links. The bride’s mother was beautifully dressed in brown satin, with oriental trimmings and hat to match, and Mrs. Shearing was attired in mole crepe-de-chene, with hat to match. Mr. C. P. Howden was best man, and Mr. J. Mollekin acted as groomsman.
Dollie on her 90th Birthday
After the ceremony, a reception was held in the Leslie Avenue Primitive Methodist schoolroom, kindly lent for the occasion, and there were about 80 guests. Speeches were made by the interested parties and the clergy, and the happy couple were heartily toasted. Later in the day they left for St. Helens, where the first part of the honeymoon will be spent. The bride travelled in a fawn velour coat with hat to match, and wore a charming set of fox furs the gift of the bridegroom.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Shearing are well-known and very popular in the village, the bride coming off an old Maltby family, whilst the bridegroom was until recently a familiar figure on the football field.
Shearing grave
The presents, which were numerous and costly, included the following:- Bride’s parents, household linen and cheque; bridegroom’s parents, silver teapot and set of vases; best man, clock; Mr. and Mrs. H. Mollekin, chair; Mr. and Mrs. Bert Mollekin, counterpane; Messrs. J. Thompson and Duckmanton, pictures; Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Brown, jardiniere; Mr. Whalley, tablecloth; Mr. and Mrs. Pearse, afternoon tea and tray cloths; Mr. and Mrs. Gurney, cushion; Mr. Jack Mollekin, dinner service; the Rev. and Mrs. Mackay, pictures; Miss Vera Kitchen, tablecloth; Mrs. Wade, bolster and pillow cases; Miss Violet Hinchliffe, pillow cases; Mr. and Mrs. Pearson, rug; Mr. and Mrs. Nadin, chair covers; Mrs. Cooper Sykes and Mrs. Brown, blankets; Mr. and Mrs. G. Cooke, towels; “Dot and George,” pans, hall brushes, etc.; Mrs. Tomlinson, tablecloth; Mrs. Rosewarne, teapot, hot water jug and stand; Harold and Ethel Gorrell, pair vases; “Mabel, Dorrie, Ivy, and Sybil,” pictures; Mr. and Mrs. G. Smith, biscuit barrel; Mrs. J. Chapman, cushion cover; Miss L. Cook, egg cups; Mr. and Mrs. Roebuck, fish knives and forks; Mrs. E. Bowman, tea knives; Alderman and Mrs. Dunn; Mr. and Mrs. Armitage, sugar silfter; Miss Stacey (Wallasey), clock; sister and brother-in-law, carvers; Mr. and Mrs. P. Butler, silver vases; Misses Kohler, Brass candlesticks; Mr. H. Thompson, dessert spoons; Miss Chapman, silver butter dish; “Baby,” butter knife; Miss J. Mollekin, plant pot; Miss Blacker, bread fork, butter and jam spoons; Mr. and Mrs. Webb, silver sugar scoop, Mr. and Mrs. A. Howden, cake stand; Mr. and Mrs. Plant, cut glass water jug; Mr. and Mrs. Tysoe, silver knife rest; “Leslie,” silver cruet; “Sid. and Lil.,” afternoon teaspoons and cruet; Mrs. Scattergood, jam jar; Mrs. C. Arnold, cruet; Mr. J. Duckmanton, silver picture frames; Mr. and Mrs. H. Shearing (Southend), tea service; Mr. and Mrs. Harlow (Ripley), stainless knives and forks; Misses Cheesborough, stainless knives and forks; Mr. and Mrs. McLaren, fruit bowl; Mr. and Mrs. A. S. Howden, cheese dish; Miss Johnson, teapot and jug; Mr. and Mrs. Scilletoe (Munford), wine glasses; B. Thompson (Sandbeck), plant pot; Mr. B. Dowson and “Cora,” hand-painted table centre; Mr. S. Heathcote, oval mirror; and others.
WEEK 42 