Cheers! It’s a golden day for civic stalwart
FORMER Torbay mayor Wallace Dolman took a trip down memory lane as he celebrated 50 years of wedded bliss this week.
The Social Democrat councillor for Shiphay revealed how a flat tyre was meant to bring him and wife Doreen together – but fate intervened.
Army Sergeant Dolman caught the eye of his future spouse Doreen at a village dance at Hockley Heath near his native Birmingham.
He revealed: “She asked one of her friends to go and let down one of the tyres on her bike so I could see her home instead. It just shows how devious women are!”
Her forgetful friend failed to complete the mission – but by then the ice had already been broken on the way to true love.
The couple married and moved to Torquay in the 1950s, where they ran a guest house in St Marychurch and Mr Dolman – a former journalist – jointly founded electrical engineering company Sound and Visual Systems.
He joined the council in 1984, and was honoured to be made Mayor in 1991. “It was one of the highlights of my council career to be elected,” he said.
Now aged 72 Mr Dolman has decided to call it a day. He revealed: “I’ve decided to retire from the council in 1995 – I’ll be 74 by that time.”
To celebrate their golden milestone, the Dolmans – who live at Bradley Park Road, Torquay – were joined by their three children and six grandchildren for an anniversary meal at the Livermead House Hotel. “It’s the first time we’ve had all the immediate family together,” he said.
(Torbay Express & South Devon Echo, 29th November 1993)
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