Tower and Town, October 2025 (view the full edition)The Dobie Brothers: Stories of a Marlborough Family and the Bonds that Shaped a LegacyIn 1910, Florence Selina, known to the family as 'Auntie Floss,' gave birth to Robert F. Dobie. He was raised by his grandparents, Robert 'Spivver' and Selina Dobie. Robert (Bob) and Vera Riches were married in 1938, and later that same year they welcomed their first son, Laurie. Over the following 17 years their family grew to include six more boys, Bobby, Mickey, Anthony (Tony), Colin, Keith and Trevor, each bringing his own laughter and mischief into the household. The tales that follow are just a few of the warm and memorable stories of their childhoods, of the adventures they shared and the lively times they spent growing up in Marlborough. The stories also give an indication to how much life has changed in the past 90 years. All of the boys, except for the youngest, Trevor, were born at 44 Cherry Orchard. It was a three-bedroom house where the boys shared two of the rooms - the two eldest together in one, and the four younger brothers in the other. As they grew up, the older boys always looked out for the younger ones, stepping in whenever there was trouble. Today, all of the brothers still live in or around Marlborough with their wives. The wives are close too, becoming not just family but best friends. Over time this branch of the Dobie family tree has grown to include children, grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren. When Mum (Vera) was alive and less able to get out, the boys began gathering on Sunday mornings to spend time with her. After she passed, they decided to carry on the tradition, and to this day they still meet every Sunday morning, gathering at one another's houses in turn, to share memories and have a catch-up over a cup of tea and maybe a biscuit or two. This year, we sadly lost Mickey, but his memory and legacy remain very much alive.> 
Helen Llewelyn |