Dolly Saville, known to be the world's oldest working barmaid died at the age of 100 after celebrating her birthday party at the Red Lion, a pub where she worked for 75 years. She started working at the Red Lion Hotel in Wendover, even before World War Two. According to Fuller's Inns, the pub owner, Dolly had become "a huge part of the community" and claimed the Red Lion to be her second home.
According to a spokeswoman, Dolly had not worked for a couple of weeks before her death but still remained on the hotel's payroll. She said "I love the people, and that's what keeps me going and it's better than sitting around." Throughout her 75 years of service behind the bar, she has pulled more than two million pints and served famous people like Sir Edward Heath, the former prime minister and Sir Stanley Matthews, the footballer and Pierce Brosnan, the James Bond actor.
Dolly's shift at the pub was six hours a day and six days a week, until six years ago. Later, she was forced to cut down on her timings to three hours every week where she spent time polishing glasses, clearing tables and serving customers. Dolly never thought that she would be working this long, but loved every minute of it. Fuller's Inns, the owner said "Dolly is a true asset to the Red Lion and Fuller's alike."
Born in Eton, Berkshire, Dolly Saville, the great-great grandmother started working as a barmaid in 1940 at a Buckinghamshire public house. At the age of 14 she left school and started working as a house maid. In her late teens, she got married and gave birth to Anne and Roland.
When the war broke out, her husband joined the RAF and she had to support the family. Back then the cost of a pint was just eight pence.
In April 2014, she celebrated her 100th birthday at the Red Lion and said that she had no plans to quit working. The barmaid touched the hearts of everyone at the party when she said "They will have to carry me out from the Red Lion." Dolly said that her boss is lovely and kind to her and would Work an extra shift if asked to do so.
The Red Lion's owner claims that she had taken only two weeks of sick leave in her seven decades of pulling pints behind the bar.
"She's full of energy and has a good sense of humour", the pub's deputy manager, Sam Hughes said. He also said that it's a shame that they don't have more people like Dolly. She leaves behind one great-great granddaughter, three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. In her honour, the bar she worked at is named, 'Dolly's'.
