Hazel Dolling
Encyclopedia
Hazel Dolling was the châtelain
e of Lissan House
, a stately home near Cookstown
, Northern Ireland
. Lissan is said to be the oldest plantation house in Northern Ireland to be lived in by the descendants of its original builders, one of whom was Sir Robert Ponsonby Staples, known as "the barefoot baronet" because he reportedly never wore shoes. Lissan is set at the foot of the Sperrin Mountains. Hazel Dolling was the last surviving member of the Staples family.
, Staffordshire
, England
. She then worked as an air radio mechanic during World War II
and was a third officer in the Women's Royal Naval Service
.
Afterwards she worked as an assistant purser
on the Southampton-New York route of the Cunard Line
ship, the RMS Mauretania
Later, she owned a travel agency in Liverpool
. After selling it, she moved to London
. In 1970, her father died, and she married his agent Harry Dolling, who was 30 years older than she was. He was also a cousin. They moved to Lissan House to live with Hazel's mother. Harry Dolling died in 1986 and Hazel Dolling lived the rest of her life alone at Lissan without electricity, excluding that which was generated by the water wheel
at her house. She had to use a gas canister to cook food. When she went driving down her 1 mile-long avenue she always kept a chainsaw in her car boot in case the avenue was blocked by any trees that had fallen. She once attempted to create a bank account, and was told to bring an electricity bill for identity purposes. She replied "but I have never had an electricity bill."
was a candidate in the BBC 2 television show, Restoration
. The prize was a £3,000,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund
to restore the winning building for use by the public. Instead of a celebrity making the case for the funding, she decided to try to persuade viewers to choose her home as the grant-winner. The Irish Independent
described Mrs Dolling as a "natural television performer". Lissan House reached the final, but was defeated by the Victoria Baths
in Manchester
.
. Before her death she donated her home, Lissan House, to a charitable trust, The Friends of Lissan House, which was founded on August 5, 1997. The trust has received a £45,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund
; it is believed that the restoration work will cost £5,000,000. In August 2006 it was revealed that there are plans for "tourist, community and heritage facilities" and possibly a hotel at the site.
Châtelain
Châtelain was originally merely the French equivalent of the English castellan, i.e. the commander of a castle....
e of Lissan House
Lissan House
Lissan House is a historic house and tourist attraction in Northern Ireland. Lissan lies nestled at the foot of the Sperrin Mountains amid ancient woodland near the historic market town of Cookstown.-The Staples family:...
, a stately home near Cookstown
Cookstown
Cookstown may refer to either of the following:*Cookstown, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland*Cookstown, Ontario, Canada*Cookstown, New Jersey, United States...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. Lissan is said to be the oldest plantation house in Northern Ireland to be lived in by the descendants of its original builders, one of whom was Sir Robert Ponsonby Staples, known as "the barefoot baronet" because he reportedly never wore shoes. Lissan is set at the foot of the Sperrin Mountains. Hazel Dolling was the last surviving member of the Staples family.
Life
Born as Hazel Marion Staples, her father was Sir Robert Staples, 13th Baronet. She was taught at the School of St Mary and St AnneAbbots Bromley School for Girls
Abbots Bromley School for Girls is an independent, fee-paying school for girls aged 3–18 located in the village of Abbots Bromley, Staffordshire, England...
, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. She then worked as an air radio mechanic during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and was a third officer in the Women's Royal Naval Service
Women's Royal Naval Service
The Women's Royal Naval Service was the women's branch of the Royal Navy.Members included cooks, clerks, wireless telegraphists, radar plotters, weapons analysts, range assessors, electricians and air mechanics...
.
Afterwards she worked as an assistant purser
Purser
The purser joined the warrant officer ranks of the Royal Navy in the early fourteenth century and existed as a Naval rank until 1852. The development of the warrant officer system began in 1040 when five English ports began furnishing warships to King Edward the Confessor in exchange for certain...
on the Southampton-New York route of the Cunard Line
Cunard Line
Cunard Line is a British-American owned shipping company based at Carnival House in Southampton, England and operated by Carnival UK. It has been a leading operator of passenger ships on the North Atlantic for over a century...
ship, the RMS Mauretania
RMS Mauretania (1938)
RMS Mauretania was launched on 28 July 1938 at the Cammell Laird yard in Birkenhead, England and was completed in May 1939. A successor to RMS Mauretania , the second Mauretania was the first ship built for the newly formed Cunard White Star company following the merger in April 1934 of the Cunard...
Later, she owned a travel agency in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
. After selling it, she moved to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. In 1970, her father died, and she married his agent Harry Dolling, who was 30 years older than she was. He was also a cousin. They moved to Lissan House to live with Hazel's mother. Harry Dolling died in 1986 and Hazel Dolling lived the rest of her life alone at Lissan without electricity, excluding that which was generated by the water wheel
Water wheel
A water wheel is a machine for converting the energy of free-flowing or falling water into useful forms of power. A water wheel consists of a large wooden or metal wheel, with a number of blades or buckets arranged on the outside rim forming the driving surface...
at her house. She had to use a gas canister to cook food. When she went driving down her 1 mile-long avenue she always kept a chainsaw in her car boot in case the avenue was blocked by any trees that had fallen. She once attempted to create a bank account, and was told to bring an electricity bill for identity purposes. She replied "but I have never had an electricity bill."
Restoration
In 2003, Lissan HouseLissan House
Lissan House is a historic house and tourist attraction in Northern Ireland. Lissan lies nestled at the foot of the Sperrin Mountains amid ancient woodland near the historic market town of Cookstown.-The Staples family:...
was a candidate in the BBC 2 television show, Restoration
Restoration (TV series)
Restoration, Restoration, Restoration is a set of BBC television series where viewers decided on which listed building that was in immediate need of remedial works was to win a grant from Heritage Lottery Fund...
. The prize was a £3,000,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund
Heritage Lottery Fund
The Heritage Lottery Fund is a fund established in the United Kingdom under the National Lottery etc. Act 1993. The Fund opened for applications in 1994. It uses money raised through the National Lottery to transform and sustain the UK’s heritage...
to restore the winning building for use by the public. Instead of a celebrity making the case for the funding, she decided to try to persuade viewers to choose her home as the grant-winner. The Irish Independent
Irish Independent
The Irish Independent is Ireland's largest-selling daily newspaper that is published in both compact and broadsheet formats. It is the flagship publication of Independent News & Media.-History:...
described Mrs Dolling as a "natural television performer". Lissan House reached the final, but was defeated by the Victoria Baths
Victoria Baths
Victoria Baths is a Grade II* listed building, situated in the Chorlton-upon-Medlock area of Manchester, in northwest England. The building is currently on English Heritage's Buildings at Risk Register....
in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
.
Death and legacy
Hazel Dolling died in 2006, aged 82, after a long battle with cancerCancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
. Before her death she donated her home, Lissan House, to a charitable trust, The Friends of Lissan House, which was founded on August 5, 1997. The trust has received a £45,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund
Heritage Lottery Fund
The Heritage Lottery Fund is a fund established in the United Kingdom under the National Lottery etc. Act 1993. The Fund opened for applications in 1994. It uses money raised through the National Lottery to transform and sustain the UK’s heritage...
; it is believed that the restoration work will cost £5,000,000. In August 2006 it was revealed that there are plans for "tourist, community and heritage facilities" and possibly a hotel at the site.