Dore and Totley High School

The following is how our research sometimes starts:

An email: I was enjoying looking at your Dore Village Website when I came across the photos of the miniature railway in the gardens of Brook House in Grove Road. As a past resident of Grove Road I have some photos of Brook House and the gardens. Would these be of any interest for your achives?

Reply: [after thanking etc] Do you live locally? If so, you could bring them to the next Saturday morning opening.

Email: We live too far away from Dore now. I grew up in a house in Grove Road and went to Dore and Totley High School. See attached photos of Brook House and Garden, and West Grove. I have also included a couple of pages from a book which was written by the Principal of the School, Miss Dorothy Trott. She talks about the miniature railway in the garden. My uncle used to ride on it! This is a fascinating biography of a remarkable woman. If you have ever met anyone who knew Miss Trott you will understand what I mean. There is a lot of information about early days of the school which began in Abbeydale Church Hall. Miss Trott lived in a house called Broomfield somewhere in Dore. Not sure where, because she talks about walking over the railway line on the wooden footbridge.

Having received this email we were intrigued to know more about the school and Miss Trott. Most people in this area will have heard of her but perhaps not know much more than her position as owner of the school. So we bought the book - A Tapestry of Life - which she wrote in the 80s towards the end of her life. And will now follow up as much as we can about the school and the various houses described.