Dorothy Osborne has lived at 114b The Street for the past few years, but has lived in the village for over forty three years. Mrs. Osborne was born in Little Livermere. She started work being “in service” to first the Duke of Grafton and later the Marquis of Bristol.

She and her husband decided to come to Thurlow when her husband’s cousin told them of a job going here. They lived next door to Edie Baines whilst their house was re-furbished (three doors away). The steward at Gt. Thurlow Hall asked if Mrs. Osborne could sew as they needed someone to do the mending (socks were darned and sheets turned sides to middle). “Mr. Edmund lived there before he was married.” Mrs. Osborne still writes to Hilda the retired housekeeper, now 95 and living at St. Ives. She really enjoyed her work, the happy times the staff had together, going out to dances, etc.

Another of her memories is of having two evacuees during the war, who arrived with one pair of knickers each!

Mrs. Osborne’s present hobbies include knitting, sewing and reading. She is a member of the W.I. and is on the Parochial Church Council (P.C.C.).

At first Mrs. Osborne couldn’t bear living in Thurlow ­ too far from home. She feels much happier now, particularly as her daughter, living in Haverhill, has a car, which makes a lot of difference to her life.

She feels poor public transport to be the main negative aspect of living here. Changes she has noticed include memories of a London bus every day and a Cambridge bus three times a day.