"Dotty" Bell was Mrs Dorothy Bell - her maiden name is unknown.

From age 11 she attended Westoe Secondary School, and in 1923 went to Newcastle's Armstrong College, University of Durham, to read Latin and English Literature.

She gained her BA in 1926, and spent another year completing her Diploma in Theory and Practice of Teaching. Her teaching career started in 1927 at the Ocean Road Senior Girls School, where she stayed until 1932. During her time there, she completed her MA in Latin in 1929.

She did no more teaching until in September 1944 she joined the South Shields High School as a "temporary assistant mistress", where she taught Music, Scripture and English.

She left in August, 1946.