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‘A POTTED PROSE OF A POPULAR MAN’

Dennis Anthony came into the world in 1934 at Stinsford, Thomas Hardy’s Mellstock, and he was always proud to show people the house where he was born as it can be seen from the road just after the Kingston Maurward round-about as it is today. He spent a happy childhood in the area with his parents, younger sister Doris and granny and ‘granfer’ who lived nearby. Early in 1942 his Dad got a job at Poundbury as a dairyman, where the garden centre is now.  Whenever we visited we always had to have a look at the house where they lived, as it still exists amongst the modern buildings. From there the family moved to Brimley Combe and then back to Stinsford all with his Dad’s work.

At 17 he was due to do National Service so he applied to join the Royal Air Force as a regular.  Naturally he had a broad Dorset accent and he had been advised to join the Dorchester Community Players and that was where he started his love for drama. His initial RAF training was in Bedford and his second spell was at Credon near Hereford where he directed ‘Ten Little Niggers’, now being politically correct known as ‘And Then There were None’ over the camp radio.  The Squadron Leader i/c of entertainment asked if he could arrange to do a staged production of the play for two nights. He then did ‘The Happiest Days of Your Life’ and when the leading man was posted and he took over the role.

He decided that the RAF was not the life for him and was duly released. He got a job at County Hall and stayed 17 years and then transferred to Weymouth and Portland Borough Council where he worked for another 18 years as a Legal Executive retiring just before his 60^th birthday. On leaving the RAF he rejoined the Dorchester Community Players and joined the Weymouth Drama Club in 1957. Over the years he has held every Committee post, except Treasurer, which was just as well because mathematical figures were a pet hate! As an actor he played many parts from Shakespeare,  the classics, from murderers to the murdered, light comedies and farce, straight plays to pantomime – he was a dab hand with the sewing machine making dame’s costumes. He also directed many plays for the club some at the pavilion, two or three in outside venues and some at the drama club’s own venue – The Warehouse Theatre.

While he was at County Hall he met Cathrin, they married in 1962 and went on to have two children Christopher and Nicola and a much loved granddaughter Sky.  They lived in Markham Avenue for 54 years before moving to Lynch Road in 2016,  which proved to be a good move and was a great help as Dennis had developed heart problems.   Also in 1962 he became involved with the All England Theatre Festival when he directed a one act play for WDC. He directed over 30 plays for the Festival with varying success and on three occasions we reached the English Final. This led to being on the Committee of the Dorset Drama League and subsequently a committee member and secretary of the Southern Division.  Finally he joined the committee of the Western Area and became Chairman in 2012. During the time as Chairman he presided over the British Final in Weymouth and the English Final in 2017. He was rewarded for his services to drama by being invited to a garden party at Buckingham Palace two years ago and he and Cathrin had a wonderful weekend in London.

After drama, Dennis’ second hobby was flower arranging which came about as he was fiddling with flowers in the garage at Markham Avenue when a neighbour suggested he join a flower arranging group which he did – Weymouth Evening. In 1988 he won a medal at Chelsea Flower Show when representing that group.  When it closed he went on to Visions (which was a new wave club) where he held the position of treasurer (after the previous comments, they must have been desperate!). He remained a member until it disbanded and then happily joined the Bere Regis Club where he had many friends. He regularly entered Dorset & Guernsey Area Shows generally gaining an award and often a first in the class entered. At the 1994 Area show Dennis was awarded runner-up to best in show in the class entitled Vortex and again at the 2002 Area Show.

In October 2001 Dennis as Show Chairman organised and staged the Area show for Dorset and Guernsey entitled All The Worlds A Stage held over two days at Weymouth Pavilion. He entered NAFAS National Shows often gaining an award and in 2004 won another medal at Chelsea representing the Dorset and Guernsey area. In 2005 he represented the Area in the National show in Bournemouth.

In 2013 he designed and staged a display in the foyer of the BIC in Bournemouth for the National Show.

For many years he staged exhibits at the annual Lady St. Mary Flower Festival in Wareham and was well known for his revolving base on which he created his stunning displays. He has regularly competed at Melplash and Dorchester Shows with great success – he will certainly be missed in those competitions if only to give other people a chance!

In 2009 he was honoured to attend the Golden anniversary of NAFAS at Westminster Abbey where he was helping with an arrangement which was up on a high window.  When the Queen visited the Abbey to see the preparations he said he had an aerial view of her hat!

He and Cathrin have had a wonderful life together attending all these occasions and times away in all parts of the UK making a wide circle of very good friends along the way.