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MANCHESTER, England / The South Manchester Reporter / July 10, 2009
The treble centenarians
IT'S been a busy week for the Queen who’s had to send telegrams to three south Mancunians who’ve reached the grand old age of 100.
Reporters Pat Hills and Amy Glendinning spoke to the baby boomers of 1909...
FORMER cotton millgirl
Ruth Palmer has seen a total transformation of Didsbury village from the days when sheep were driven through the streets to the trendy bohemian community it is today.
Described by her daughter, also called Ruth, as "tough as old boots", she has not had the easiest life, having survived two world wars and successfully battling against breast cancer almost 30 years ago.
But at the age of 100, she can look back over her life and not have any regrets about anything she has done.
"She is a lovely lady," said Ruth junior, 76, who once worked as chief copy taker at the Manchester Evening News for many years. "Born in Withington, she was a twirler and curler in the mills and remembers Didsbury when it was what we call a dozy village – peaceful and slow." On Saturday, Ruth senior will turn up at the Police Social Club on Mauldeth Road, in Chorlton, with her eldest daughter to be greeted by relatives and friends for a birthday party.
The two Ruths live together on Ruabon Road in Didsbury and they get on famously.
"My mother is a sweetheart," said Ruth junior. "She is almost deaf and her eyesight isn’t that good and she now needs help walking with a Zimmer frame but she is still cheerful and delightful."
Prior to a bout of poor health last year which took the wind out of her sails, she was always the life and the soul of the party.
This was demonstrated when she was in her eighties and was encouraged amidst some serious contenders to enter a talent contest at a Spanish hotel. She did the Charleston and won!
Presented with a week’s holiday back to Spain, flowers, sash and a tiara – that she is going to wear for her century celebrations – the event was a treasured memory that has kept the whole family going.
Ruth senior has three daughters, Ruth, Jacky, 72, and 65-year-old Sandra. And she has two grandchildren, Laura, 50, and 45-year-old Clair.
FILLING out tax returns is a struggle for most people at any age, but for 100-year-old
Elizabeth Armstrong they are still as easy as ever.
Elizabeth, who celebrated her centenary birthday on Tuesday, July 7, worked for many years as an insurance broker and still has a head for figures.
As well as following the ups and downs of the stock market every day in the Financial Times, she also enjoys watching Question Time and The Daily Politics Show.
"I can still do my own tax return, and sums in my head." she said. "I got those genes from my father."
After growing up in Gorton, Elizabeth worked as a geography teacher and then a ‘clippy’ or conductor on the buses and trams in Manchester city centre before moving into the insurance industry.
"Working on the buses all day kept me nice and slim." she said, "But I really enjoyed working as an insurance broker." As well as a successful career, she was married to Charles, a butcher, for 51 years.
"We had the perfect marriage." she said. "He passed away too soon but I know he is not really gone, he’s still with me."
Elizabeth now lives at the retirement home Ryland House on Edge Lane, Chorlton, and regularly attends St Clement’s Church.
Ryland House manager Annie Taylor, who hailed Elizabeth as ‘an inspiration’, organised a party to celebrate her 100th birthday. The Lord Mayor Alison Firth is visiting and a choir from Chorlton CoE Primary School will also be coming to sing for Elizabeth."
"She has received a card from the queen but she is going to wait until all her family are around her to open it.
"She is a total inspiration."
GROWING old holds few worries for spritely centenarian
Bill Killarney who was driving a car until he reached the age of 94.
This independent chap who has just turned 100 does all his own washing, ironing, cooking and cleaning, and he is known for the pride he takes in his dapper appearance.
Widower Bill, who lives with his beloved 14-year-old cat, Oscar, on Ryebank Road, in Chorlton, hasn’t much family around but his great niece-in-law Norma Brown who sees him when she can, said: "He is quite amazing. He has a great sense of humour and he likes the odd glass of whisky."
Apart from being a little deaf and suffering from understandable wear and tear, there isn’t much wrong with Bill who loves nothing better than trotting off to see his pals at Egerton Court Luncheon Club, where he always sits next to his younger chum, 99-year-old Eric Corrigan.
"He is such a character and always looks so smart," said scheme manager Kathleen Duxbury, who organised a surprise birthday party in his honour. "He is a lovely, charming man." Bill, who was stationed with the RAF in England during World War Two, worked for Barlow’s export shipping company in Manchester most of his working life until he retired at 69.
He was married to May who sadly died in 1981. They had no children. [
rc]
© M.E.N media 2009
FORMER cotton millgirl Ruth Palmer has seen a total transformation of Didsbury village from the days when sheep were driven through the streets to the trendy bohemian community it is today.
Described by her daughter, also called Ruth, as "tough as old boots", she has not had the easiest life, having survived two world wars and successfully battling against breast cancer almost 30 years ago.
But at the age of 100, she can look back over her life and not have any regrets about anything she has done.
"She is a lovely lady," said Ruth junior, 76, who once worked as chief copy taker at the Manchester Evening News for many years. "Born in Withington, she was a twirler and curler in the mills and remembers Didsbury when it was what we call a dozy village – peaceful and slow." On Saturday, Ruth senior will turn up at the Police Social Club on Mauldeth Road, in Chorlton, with her eldest daughter to be greeted by relatives and friends for a birthday party.
The two Ruths live together on Ruabon Road in Didsbury and they get on famously.
"My mother is a sweetheart," said Ruth junior. "She is almost deaf and her eyesight isn’t that good and she now needs help walking with a Zimmer frame but she is still cheerful and delightful."
Prior to a bout of poor health last year which took the wind out of her sails, she was always the life and the soul of the party.
This was demonstrated when she was in her eighties and was encouraged amidst some serious contenders to enter a talent contest at a Spanish hotel. She did the Charleston and won!
Presented with a week’s holiday back to Spain, flowers, sash and a tiara – that she is going to wear for her century celebrations – the event was a treasured memory that has kept the whole family going.
Ruth senior has three daughters, Ruth, Jacky, 72, and 65-year-old Sandra. And she has two grandchildren, Laura, 50, and 45-year-old Clair.
FILLING out tax returns is a struggle for most people at any age, but for 100-year-old Elizabeth Armstrong they are still as easy as ever.
Elizabeth, who celebrated her centenary birthday on Tuesday, July 7, worked for many years as an insurance broker and still has a head for figures.
As well as following the ups and downs of the stock market every day in the Financial Times, she also enjoys watching Question Time and The Daily Politics Show.
"I can still do my own tax return, and sums in my head." she said. "I got those genes from my father."
After growing up in Gorton, Elizabeth worked as a geography teacher and then a ‘clippy’ or conductor on the buses and trams in Manchester city centre before moving into the insurance industry.
"Working on the buses all day kept me nice and slim." she said, "But I really enjoyed working as an insurance broker." As well as a successful career, she was married to Charles, a butcher, for 51 years.
"We had the perfect marriage." she said. "He passed away too soon but I know he is not really gone, he’s still with me."
Elizabeth now lives at the retirement home Ryland House on Edge Lane, Chorlton, and regularly attends St Clement’s Church.
Ryland House manager Annie Taylor, who hailed Elizabeth as ‘an inspiration’, organised a party to celebrate her 100th birthday. The Lord Mayor Alison Firth is visiting and a choir from Chorlton CoE Primary School will also be coming to sing for Elizabeth."
"She has received a card from the queen but she is going to wait until all her family are around her to open it.
"She is a total inspiration."
GROWING old holds few worries for spritely centenarian Bill Killarney who was driving a car until he reached the age of 94.
This independent chap who has just turned 100 does all his own washing, ironing, cooking and cleaning, and he is known for the pride he takes in his dapper appearance.
Widower Bill, who lives with his beloved 14-year-old cat, Oscar, on Ryebank Road, in Chorlton, hasn’t much family around but his great niece-in-law Norma Brown who sees him when she can, said: "He is quite amazing. He has a great sense of humour and he likes the odd glass of whisky."
Apart from being a little deaf and suffering from understandable wear and tear, there isn’t much wrong with Bill who loves nothing better than trotting off to see his pals at Egerton Court Luncheon Club, where he always sits next to his younger chum, 99-year-old Eric Corrigan.
"He is such a character and always looks so smart," said scheme manager Kathleen Duxbury, who organised a surprise birthday party in his honour. "He is a lovely, charming man." Bill, who was stationed with the RAF in England during World War Two, worked for Barlow’s export shipping company in Manchester most of his working life until he retired at 69.
He was married to May who sadly died in 1981. They had no children. [rc]
© M.E.N media 2009
