by Bernard O'Connor (Author)
96-year-old Doreen Roberts is the oldest resident of Bouldon, a hamlet of fourteen houses and a dairy farm at the foot of the Brown Clee in Shropshire. Born in Brighton in 1926, she grew up in London, Birmingham, Guernsey and Weston-super-Mare. She came from a theatrical family but, not having a singing voice like her mother and grandmother, had drawing talent. She studied part-time at the Central London Art School and worked in a book shop and Rowney's art supplies factory before getting seasonal work at Glyndebourne Opera House in Sussex. She later worked full time in the wig room at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden before giving up to marry Norman Roberts, a canal boat builder in Birmingham. They retired to live a quiet secluded life in 1984 where she joined the Corvedale Artists and, over the years, exhibited many of her drawings and watercolours.