Interview with Linda Doherty (b.1942).
Linda Doherty was born in Milton Keynes village, lived and worked in London briefly then returned to MK village when her daughter was born; she moved to Newport Pagnell 30 years ago. She remembers her ‘idyllic childhood’ and talks of her grandfather’s and father’s lives in MK Village, and the old farming methods; she talks of the gradual purchase of farmland by MKDC and the effects on farmworkers. She recalls being somewhat shocked about the announcement of new city. As MK developed she remembers confusion as the roads changed. She talks of her work, first at Tetley Tea, then working for the company building Cotton Valley Sewage Works; she comments there was always plenty of work in MK. She admires the landscaping in MK, and ‘I love going to the shopping building.’ But in her opinion public transport is a problem for people without a car, and must be isolating. She talks of her childrens’ education in Newport Pagnell.
Born in a small village, she says: ‘I would never want to live on one of those estates, because I would feel that I was living just on a housing estate and with no feeling of community.’ Although she really prefers older cities and cathedrals, or rural areas, she agrees that MK is well planned and designed and ‘loves the buzz of the theatre district.’ But she would really prefer the area to be as it was before MK arrived.
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