News & Awards

Malcolm Dodson

1940 – 2011

Malcolm was passionate about thatching and worked tirelessly to uphold standards not only for the craft of thatching but also for the customers, even going to court, at our own expense, to fight for the customers right. He believed the art of thatching should not stagnate, but move on, progress and that different or improved materials should be used if practical or appropriate.

He held prominent positions for many years as President and Chairman for the National Society of Master Thatchers and the East Midlands Thatching Association.

He was also an excellent speaker and gave many talks firstly on corn dollies and then on the history of thatch to many WI’s and history groups. One of his greatest achievements has to be the working demonstration of the history of thatch at the Ramsey Rural Museum in 2006. People were so impressed with what he had to say – some listened to it twice!

He loved birds and wild flowers and spent hours collecting seeds, sowing and planting them, not only in his own garden but also around the fields where we grow our own straw.

Malcolm didn’t retire at 65 and probably would still be working now if he hadn’t have become ill.

He had a great respect and regard for the men who worked for him and was often ‘dubbed’ as the best boss and indeed although towards the end of his life he lost a lot of weight, he still had great inner strength and courage and insisted on walking up the road to the yard to greet his men at 6.30 am every morning until the day before he died.