The company that now exists as Hawthorn Estates Ltd began in 1976.

The co-founders, Geoff and Kendall Dootson, who were married in 1975, began their journey. As a newly married couple, they had many ideas of where their life would lead them. Geoff, a qualified Joiner and Farmer, set about his own Joinery business, with Kendall handling his admin.

It was then they registered as a VAT-paying business and became whatever they turned their hand to do.

When bitten by the writing bug, Kendall got to try freelance journalism (1983). She worked selling her pieces to several papers; She had her column writing as Katie Stott in one.

She interviewed many politicians and dignitaries during her writing career. However, Kendall has mentioned that her best interview was with the then Prince Charles, now King Charles III, at an Agricultural Show. He even expanded his comments for her article by writing to her.

Then, in 1987 Kendall took an interest in HGV lorry driving. When Kendall passed, she became a temporary driver for a driving agency working on Lorries and excavators for Norweb, Callagen foam, Sita clean, and SB tippers.

Later in 1992, Kendall began working as a school cleaner, then went into replacing the caretakers and cleaning staff absent for a few weeks at a time.

In 1995, Geoff and Kendall got to clean a car park. This job helped to expand their skill set to site maintenance, giving Hawthorn Estates its big break.

Geoff continued his joinery work and became the project manager of many significant jobs. Including the replacement and repair to the frontage of the Oden cinema in Bradford after a ram raid took out a large chunk of the glass and structure.

They took their small business further into the Landscape Maintainance sector. Geoff and Kendall expanded Hawthorn Estates into a thriving business in just over three years, the company’s reputation growing as time went on.

In 1998 Geoff and Kendall opened their business up to their soon-to-be son-in-law, who married their daughter in September of 1999.

Kevin and Emily became the next generation to manage this company. Kendall handed over the business when Geoff became ill in 2006 and died on 1st June 2008.

As of 2008, the Managing Director role was passed from Kendall to her son-in-law Kevin Millar, who has taken the company in a different direction from its original. It thrived through the credit crash of 2008, and by 2014 a new line of work was offered to the company. Due to this change in demand, Hawthorn Estates expanded to the strengths of its directors.

Hawthorn Estates is now a Facilities Management and Construction Company.

Since then, Kendall’s role in Hawthorn Estates moved to administration while continuing to be on the board of directors until 2019, when she retired.

When asked how she felt about leaving the company running, Kendall said, “I have been a lorry driver, a journalist and the managing director of a successful company. It is nice to watch from the sidelines and not have the stress of running a company such as mine. Kevin and Emily are among the most level-headed and caring people I know. The company is in good hands.”

The legacy continues as the third generation is training to take over the responsibility when they finish their education.

Written By Kendall Dootson (Retired Director).

Edited By Zoe Heslop (September 2022)