Dorothy Stephen was living in Sedgefield, England with her family and husband Dave when she woke up at three in the morning one night in 1967. Dr. Jack Bailey was on the phone and he was welcoming them to their new home on Manitoulin Island. He had forgotten about the time difference and wanted to expedite his enthusiastic invitation to the new surgeon, Dr. Dave Stephen.
A few weeks later, the Stephen family were picked up by Joyce Bailey during a driving rainstorm. Dr. Stephen was well-received by the medical team in Little Current and the family soon made themselves at home. Dave was able to perform surgeries, while Dr. Bailey did the anesthetics. Before the arrival of the new surgeon, these operations were only done in Sudbury. Dorothy soon found her place, teaching at the Little Current Public School. The Stephen family was soon happily ensconced within the Manitoulin culture.
“I was born Dorothy Rose Darkins on November 4, 1929, in County Durham, England, to Harry and Olive Darkins. I had two brothers, Colin and Warwick. My mother Olive was really good with finances. She always kept the budget very well, even through the Depression. My main babysitter was an Alsatian called ‘Wolf of Ingleside.’ He was very protective of me, lying beside my pram and checking me regularly, but he was not good with other people or dogs. An Airedale, aptly named Dale, became my next protector but he would jump the farmer’s six-foot fence and chase the chickens.” An early memory was hail hitting the window. “It’s raining rice pudding,” Dorothy announced happily to her mother.
Dorothy was moved from the small rural school where she had started to a large urban school where boys and girls were totally segregated, each group with their own playground. When Dorothy was seven, she spent six weeks in isolation with scarlet fever. “Luckily, I got home in time for Christmas and a pile of presents, including two dolls that I kept into my adulthood.”
Dorothy recalls her dad having a gas station with his father-in-law. He lost it during the Depression and became a bus driver, until he was called up to the Army Service Corps on September 1, 1939, in World War Two. That was hard for this Daddy’s girl. “Mum wrote letters to Daddy every day. When we did something bad, Mother would say ‘wait until your dad comes home.’ Nevertheless, soon, we were all fitted with gas masks and our priorities changed. We became accustomed to the sirens which sent us to the Anderson shelter in our back yard.”
“Once, on leave, Dad, with all his gear on, fell into our front door, right after a long raid. It was quite a surprise for us. We were so glad he was safe. Sometimes our mother would go outside the shelter and watch the searchlights zero in on a German bomber. Our local waterworks was hit once, and a large fire ensued. When Dad came home on leave, I stayed home but was chastised by my teacher for doing so. Soon my brother Colin and I were sent to our aunt and uncle in Nottinghamshire for the summer to get away from the bombing.”
“In September that year I attended school but was terrified of the teacher who wielded a cane which he used on the boys’ rear ends. Later that year our family moved to Scotland and shared a house with a Sergeant Major’s family. We lived upstairs and shared the kitchen downstairs. At school I got in trouble nearly every day because I couldn’t do ‘analysis and parsing,’ understanding the components of a sentence, and their syntactic roles.” Dorothy joined the Girl Guides and eventually was the patrol leader. Later, she became Lieutenant of ‘Thistle Patrol,’ a group of younger guides. During camping trips, Dorothy was overseeing the younger participants while swimming. “One time our patrol met at the Scout’s country camp to practice bridge-building with logs and ropes.”
“In 1941, we moved to a place near Glasgow. I had to walk all the way there with Dad, on leave, because I had measles. Once there, I luckily had my own large bedroom. I remember hiding under the blankets, imagining monsters floating in the air. I recall the joy when Dad finally come home to stay in 1946. I was going to a better school, and I had started playing field hockey again with Dad cheering me on from the sidelines. He finally found work after the war with a flexible pipe manufacturer.”
“I had a strange experience a few years after Grandfather Darkins died. He was a favourite ancestor. I mourned him for a long time, well after my marriage to Dave. (Dave’s mother attended a séance and was told that I should ‘let him go.’ This totally surprised me as I had never told anyone about this connection.) About this time, I started knitting and writing poetry in the dark, deciphering my handwriting later.”
Summer jobs included maintaining registration cards of citizens’ locations for the Glasgow City Chambers. Another job was with the Robin Hood Gift Shop. After high school in October 1947, Dorothy attended teacher’s training at the local college. “I remember eating hare soup and drinking strong coffee in a demi-tasse on an outing to a local farm where we were counting ducks and geese.”
In 1950 Dorothy began teaching in a small school in a Dunbartonshire village run by Miss Annie Hunter. “When Miss Hunter learned of my interest in nature she introduced me to David Stephen in the next village. David was a naturalist, lecturer and writer. In 1951 David introduced me to his cousin, a medical student, also David Stephen. The medical student was warned that he would meet the local schoolmarm. We felt comfortable with each other, possibly because we were both in nature, among the trees, watching owls and building hides. Dave sent me a postcard from an exhibition he attended and I recall the frosty delivery of the card to me by my mother. Apparently, she was not pleased that I was already committed to a young man. Soon I was spending every weekend with Dave at his home, covering the five miles by bus or bike. I would often bring a dozen eggs with me.”
One time Dorothy and Dave were on a country road on a motor bike when “a big tour bus met us in a bend on our side of the road. We had to maneuver the bike away from the bus to the roadside. We got thrown off the bike by a wire fence but were not badly hurt. The bike was missing a headlight and now had a jammed fork side cover. We made some minor adjustments and managed to get back home.” On a different bike, a Norton 500 twin, sometime later the connection with the sidecar broke and the bike veered to the left of the lamppost and the sidecar to the right. “We left the sidecar at a garage and continued on the bike. That was a cold trip for me, compared to the cozy sidecar.” When they had the opportunity and the time to do so, the couple also enjoyed watching bike and car races.
In 1955 Dave asked Dorothy to marry him. They planned their wedding for the following summer. Meanwhile, the couple took up archery and joined a club. They went to several meets where Dorothy won a bronze medal using her left hand and her master right eye. It seems the male participants had fiercer competition and Dave, despite his good effort, did not get a medal. “In July of 1956, Dave graduated as a doctor and we were married soon after, on July 17, 1956, in James Craig’s Tearoom in Glasgow. It was set up like a church, with 40 guests. We honeymooned in St. Cyrus in Kincardineshire.”
Dave’s first medical placement was with the wartime Ballochmyle Hospital in Ayrshire, where they stayed in the manor house with other couples for 18 months while Dave did his medical, plastic surgery and surgical rotations. Dave had several other placements over the next few years, starting at Perth General Hospital where Dorothy taught at an estate school. The older kids helped steer the course for both Dorothy and the younger kids. The Stephens found accommodation by house-sitting while there. “We visited Switzerland and enjoyed the scenery, the cages with St. Bernard rescue dogs and the terrific view of Italy at the top of a ski lift. The Jungfrau (German for young lady) portion of a mountain seen on a subsequent rail trip left an impression. It did resemble a young lady.”
A one-year stint in the Isle of Man started in 1958. Alastair was born here, and the mode of transportation continued to be the bike and sidecar. After Shirley was born at their next placement, the Sutton hospital, the bike was traded for a car, the Hillman Husky. The family lived above the kitchen hospital but had no fridge, so Dorothy had to shop daily. She learned to drive the car, and this made life a bit easier until she was lost in a fog one day. She called Dave from a nearby house to rescue his family. In 1964, there was a four-year placement in Sedgefield where Iain was born.
They had their sights on Canada next. They wanted to move to a place with four seasons, so Canada fit the bill. They came to Canada with three kids beset with chickenpox. Joyce Bailey picked them up in Sudbury during a powerful thunderstorm. They spent their early weeks at Little’s Camp on North Channel Drive and the Wilde home while that family was away. A rental home on Meredith Street came next. “It had new-to-us space heaters in the living room and kitchen.” Soon two-year old Iain escaped and tried to visit his father, but Dorothy caught him before he got to the main road. In May of 1968, the Stephens moved into their own home on North Channel Drive. Dorothy started to do supply teaching at the separate school despite her concern that the regulations and expectations might be different here. Dave assumed his role at the medical centre in Little Current.
That fall, Dorothy was asked to teach a remedial Grade 4 class at the Little Current Public School. She accepted. In 1973, Dorothy, after encouragement from Rachel Charette, began her artist career with an owl painting, and soon joined Ivan Wheale’s class for further instruction. Over the years, many of her works have been given to relatives, friends, a few sold, and the rest decorate her home. Dorothy also decided to upgrade her education at Laurentian University and by 1981, graduated cum laude. Her family celebrated her success. “My favourite courses were geology and religion and the arts. For the latter course she submitted her painting of ‘Jesus in Gethsemane,’ a near copy of El Greco’s version. This painting now hangs in the United Church in Little Current.
Dorothy lost the hearing in her right ear due to a virus, but this did not slow her down. She was elated to help a Vietnamese boat family learn English after taking a short course. “They moved to British Columbia but travelled back here to thank everyone who helped them, including a stop at our home.” Dorothy retired in 1991 for health reasons. “I was a free agent for seven years until Dave retired and we were a couple again.” In 1999 Dorothy lost her sense of smell, due likely to another virus. Dave had to check out the food for freshness because she couldn’t do the sniff test, and he happily complied. “Perhaps he didn’t want to be poisoned,” Dorothy adds, smiling. In 2002 Dorothy had her right knee replaced.
As for travelling, the couple have spent holidays abroad. “We had trips to Scotland and Ireland for reunions for Dave. Stonehaven was interesting because we could watch the fishing boats come in with their catch. Little shore cruises let us gaze at the multitude of seabirds on the cliffs. Aruba and Maui were enjoyable, too. The tropical fish in Aruba, among the coral, close to shore, and seen through a mask and snorkel, were amazing. In Hawaii we swam among sea turtles and saw humpback whales. Lastly, we enjoyed two cruises to the Caribbean and one to Alaska for our 50th anniversary.”
“My brother Colin, who worked in forestry, was killed by a drunk driver in South Africa. My other brother, Warwick, was an architect with The John Brown Shipyard. He designed miles of piping that went into the Queen Elizabeth Two,” Dorothy shares. “I have three great-grandchildren now. Alastair’s son Chris and his wife Samantha have Caleb. Their daughter Kathryn is single and living in Sudbury. Jennifer and her husband Jussi have Romeo. Iain’s daughter Tory and husband Mitch have Finn and they live in Stratford. Iain’s second daughter, Alyssa, lives in Sudbury. Alastair, ‘Al,’ is here and helping me today. He and his wife Michele own North Channel Canvas, next to this house. All the family get together at Christmas time.”
Some highlights you want to mention? “Sailing on the water with our two big boats, the Shearwater and the Wildcat, a catamaran. We had a short runabout, the Straycat, which the boys loved. They all gave us some glorious times on the water. Once, in the Benjamins, the kids were complaining about hearing mice. The next morning, we realized they were right. We found a nest at the bottom of the anchor locker. Foods, not canned, had all been sampled by the mice, so we removed the nest and quickly headed out to Crocker Island, thankfully leaving the mice behind.”
Most important event? “Our marriage and the six years of medical training which allowed us to travel and see lots of new vistas in Scotland.”
Favourite pets? No pets during the war, but as mentioned, we had a German shepherd named Wolf when I was a baby and he protected me. We also had an Airedale and a bull terrier. Lastly, we had a stray dog, Jake, who learned to release the snow shovel handle from its storage position, to knock on the door when he wanted to be let in.”
Favourite season? “Spring when everything is coming to life. It’s warmer and I can get out and about in the fresh air.”
Favourite activities? “Jigsaw puzzles. I didn’t have much time for reading. I was an outside girl, walking a lot and playing field hockey for many years.”
Collections? “Stamps and coins but the stamps aren’t worth much now.”
Favourite television or radio show? “Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy.”
Favourite sport? “Archery, where I won a little prize one time.”
Strengths? “Being a special education teacher. I have always had compassion for people who need a little extra help. I remember one little child who couldn’t speak at all in Kindergarten in Little Current. He tended to push people instead. I recall working extra hard with him and two other children and in the end, they seemed to be much more adept at communication. Scottish country dancing I enjoyed when I was younger. I still have the instruction books. Painting is also something I enjoy. My favourite painting is the one with the two gannets (white sea birds) I found in a Robert Bateman book.”
Anything you still want to do? “Some birdwatching, perhaps and a boat ride in the summer. I love being on the water.”
Your first impression after meeting Dave? “I liked him right away. I fell with a bang. At first, I wasn’t sure if he felt the same, but in time I knew he did.”
Any associations? “I was a member of the Women’s Auxiliary.”
A good family memory? “My husband and I had a good marriage, and I am proud of all the kids, grandkids and great grandkids.”
If you could go back in time is there anything you would do differently? “Perhaps, if I could avoid the viral infection that affected my hearing or avoid the big public school that I had to attend as a small child, coming from a small country school, that might be a blessing but overall, I wouldn’t want to change anything important. It all came together well.”
Was there anything you dreamt about as a small child that came true later? “I always wanted to travel and see the world. We did get to a lot of interesting places, including Switzerland, several other places and three excellent cruises.”
Anyone who inspired you? “Aunt Bessie showed me how to do Norwegian knitting with all the lovely patterns. I copied one of her patterns.”
Hope for the future? “No more war, peace and dealing with climate change as much as we can.”
Recipe for happiness? “Having a good marriage and happy kids. Also, don’t go to bed angry.”
“I have been lucky in life. Living with a wonderful husband whom I loved dearly. I am very fond of Manitoulin. The people are very friendly. We came from our homeland to a new country and we have always been happy living here. Our children grew up on the Island and they know this place and Canada best. We lived in a nice home. Manitoulin has lots of water for swimming and boating. We have enjoyed a lifestyle here we never had in Scotland. We know and appreciate our excellent neighbours and we can just pick up the phone if we need help. I recall falling one time and calling Al, who was away, but he called our neighbours and they came right away. They often pop in now just to say “hi.” My son Al and his wife Michele live here and they take good care of me. I certainly don’t miss big city life. I’m a country girl at heart. At 94, I am happy to spend the rest of my life here.”
