A FORMER seamstress who now lives in Finchampstead held a party to celebrate her 100th birthday.
Earlier this month, Edna, who now lives at Warren Lodge Care Centre marked her centenary surrounded by family and friends at the special gathering organised by her daughter Theresa.
Born in Mapledurham, she grew up with her parents and six brothers, attending the village school where a lifelong love for needlework was harnessed and a passion for painting.
When she left school at the age of 14, she joined a Singer sewing machine shop, training to be a seamstress and sewing machine specialist, going on her bike to service machines across the county.
She says she had special memories of repairing the uniforms of the doctors and nurses at the Battle Hospital in Reading and the time-consuming job of embroidering the George Hotel on all of the linen and uniforms.
While working in the shop, she met her husband John, who had visited to undertake some carpentry work.
They went on to have two daughters, Theresa and Ruth, three grandchildren and one great-grandson.
While her days maintaining sewing machines have passed, she still has a number of hobbies including reading newspapers, taking part in quizzes and watching football.
When asked which team she supports she laughed and said: “Whoever wins”.
Of her birthday, Edna said she had had a lovely day and everyone had been so kind, adding that she had not expected anything because it was just another birthday.
Staff at Warren Lodge said that her room had been full of flowers and cards with pride of place going to the card she received from The Queen.
They also created a balloon arch in her favourite colour and ensured there were green candles on the cake, specially made by the chef.
A spokesperson for the care centre said: “Edna is an extraordinary lady and we just wanted to show her how much she means to us all.”
