Big day for daughter of pit tragedy hero, who became wartime nursing heroine

This year saw nursing hit the headlines as medics struggled with the global coronavirus pandemic.

But Doris, who celebrates her 100th birthday on Thursday, was nursing in the 1940s when World War Two was bringing injured soldiers back to Doncaster from the battlefields.

Her wartime nursing is just one drama in a century that has seen Doris live through major events that affected her personally.

Doris was a St John Ambulance nurse during the war, working on wards created at the old Doncaster Royal Infirmary to accommodate the extra patients, known as The Huts.

Doris, who wrote a memoir nearly 10 years ago, said wartime nursing was often hard work as more and more casualties needing desperate treatment arrived. But she said a good community spirit got them through.

She followed in her father’s footsteps by joining the St John Ambulance – but he never saw her in her uniform.

Dad Thomas Hopkinson died in the Bentley pit disaster of November 1931, when an underground gas explosion killed 45. He had insisted on staying as long as possible to help others. Seriously injured, he later died of wounds, aged 33. Doris was just 11.

Her mum, grocery shop owner Lily, was later presented with a medal and certificate to honour his bravery.

Doris was born in Doncaster on September 3, 1920, growing up on Daw Lane, Bentley, attending Bentley New Village School.

She married railway worker Norman Kitching at St Peters Church, Bentley, in April 1942. He was turned down by the Royal Navy because his job as a fireman on locomotives was too important. He died in 2007.

The couple had a son, who died aged 17 in a work accident, and a daughter.

Doris also has a grandson and two great grand daughters.

After retiring, Doris, who latterly lived in Barnby Dun, loved writing poetry, books and articles, helping to co-author the book 'Aspects of Doncaster'.

She and Norman also loved travelling abroad and would often holiday in their caravan.

She said she preferred how Doncaster used to be when she was younger, feeling it was clean, not as busy, and everyone looked out for each other. She also felt there were more local shops in the past.

Doris plans to celebrate her 100th birthday at the Richmond Care Home in Sprotbrough, where she now lives, with a party, including a high tea, sparkling wine, and a singer.

Her family cannot come into the home. But staff have been working alongside an infection control nurse to organise a family gathering in the garden.

Activities coordinator Lucy Stillings said: “But if we are unable to do this, then we have arranged for her daughter to visit and for family to stand on the other side of the wall where they can see her and celebrate the day with her in a way.

"It's such a sad time and we're all hoping we can make up for it by spoiling Doris and celebrating the best way we can.”

Doris said she enjoyed being sociable and it kept her young.

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