fron Christine Dolton         EDITH DOLTON Ref: 2503

Edith was the youngest child of Henry and Emma Dolton (Refs: 4909 & 5477). She was born in the last quarter of 1866 in Newbury.

 Her father was a respected Corn Merchant and the family lived around the Wharf area of Newbury including Kendrick House. Edith never married and lived with her parents until their death.

Following her mother’s death in 1901, she moved, along with her sister Rose Emma (Ref: 129) to ‘Winchcombe’, St John’s Road, Newbury.

There are many accounts in the Newbury Weekly News of Emma performing at various soirees and concerts in and around Newbury – some connected with the Wesleyan Church to which the family were strongly connected. One report on 12 December 1907 states:

“the solo was given by Miss Edith Dolton

In her usual sweet and distinct manner.”

On 26 May 1937, Edith embarked on the Fred Olsen Lines’ Bajamar for Tenereife, travelling first class with a friend, Rose Mary Lomas who lived in Enborne Road. They returned on 28 May 1937.

In 1939 her sister had died and she was alone with a servant at “Winchcombe”. She moved to the Holloway Sanatorium, Virginia Water, Surrey, where she developed pneumonia and died there on 24 January 1942 and was then buried in the family plot on 30 January 1942, aged 75. See Newbury Weekly News reports.

from Ros Clow  Edith Dalton was the youngest daughter of Alderman Dalton of the mill at Shaw.

She belonged to the Wesleyan Methodist Church.

She had a beautiful voice and sang in Newbury Coral Society.

Later she was involved with the British Women's Total Abstinence Union, the Women's Department of the Methodist Overseas Mission and the National Children's home.

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