Dorothy Murdoch, (Dot) aged 90. Born 5th Feb 1933 in North Queensferry Fife, Scotland.
Her father was born in Ireland and her mother was born in Edinburgh. She had 2 older sisters and 5 brothers.
The winters were cold, but the Summers they enjoyed going to the beach.
Started working as a shop assistant when she was 15 and the local pub, & also a paper mill.
She went on to marry a local footballer Davey Murdoch who she met when she was 20, from Crosshill Fife in 1953.
In 1958 they sailed to Australia to try their luck for a few years with no plan to stay. The voyage took 5 weeks, & Dot said she thoroughly enjoyed it.
Dot's Husband David worked in the Eveready Battery factory. Then later an air-conditioning company.
They lived in Botany in the original and famous “Sir Joseph Banks Hotel” until their first child was born in 1961 and they decided to stay. Dot said there were quite a lot of Scottish people who had also come to Australia living there at the time.
They went on to build a home in Liverpool NSW. Where they lived for over 40 years. They went on to have three daughters and then retired to the central coast in Woy Woy in 1992.
Dot returned to work after her youngest started school & worked for Parker Pens. She said she was part of the manufacturing & quality assurance division & used a magnifying glass to ensure each pen nib was perfectly aligned.
Dot lost her beloved Husband David when he was 69 & has been without him now for 28 years. She was grateful he was able to give all of their daughters away at their weddings before he passed.
Dot told me that she was on her way to hospital for one of her skin Melanoma checkups (she had quite a large one removed on her face) & was rushing from the train to the bus, when she tripped on a grate & dislocated & broke her arm.. When the ambulance arrived, they asked where she was headed to, & had a laugh when she said, she was actually headed to the hospital.
Dot has 4 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren. She enjoys her days having lunch out, going to the club, & a glass of wine (or two) a day.
