Jean Patricia Arbuthnot was born in Watford on 15 February1930. Her father was a well-known voice on the radio, W.H. Barrington Dalby, a boxing referee who did inter round boxing commentary with the introduction “Come in Barry”. Jean was educated at Watford Technical College and when she left, she spent a year at Ack-Ack Command Headquarters in Bushy Heath. She then worked for a time in the press department of the Football Association before being appointed private assistant secretary to Sir Stanley Rous. 

Jean joined the fire service in 1964, becoming the first Firewoman in the Leicestershire and Rutland Fire Service and was based in Oakham until 1981 when she was transferred to Loughborough. Initially her duties were secretarial and answering telephone fire calls but later she became a Brigade driver. There have been a few retained firewomen at Oakham, but I understand she is still the only full time Firewoman in Rutland’s history. In 1975 she received the Queen’s Fire Service Medal for long service and good conduct. Jean was particularly proud that a photograph of her as a Firewoman appears in a Ladybird book on the Fire Service.

Jean’s many hobbies included conjuring and she appeared on stage and on children’s TV with magician Anthony Norman. She also had a great interest in dog showing and has bred numerous wirehaired Dachshunds, including Aquadax Tosca who achieved a third at Crufts.

Weighing at Shows

After the ballot held at the recent Championship show, by a very narrow margin of 14/16, members voted in favour of the Club continuing to weigh Miniatures. Please note they will not be weighed at the Club’s Open show in September as this has been advertised as such and the judge is contracted not to weigh