A Centenarian who now lives in Sindlesham has been preparing for this year’s International Women’s Day by recalling some of her adventures, including the time she thought she had intercepted a spy.
Joan Parr, a resident of Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh Court, was a Royal Air Force driver during the Second World War, and it was on one such drive, taking soldiers to assigned locations, where the miscommunication, quite literally, occurred.
“I remember this one time when I thought I had picked up a German spy. The reason is that, whenever he spoke, he would say ‘yah’, not ‘yes’,” Joan said.
“Just to distract him, I said that something sounded funny in the engine and got out of the car. Then I took an adjustable spanner and… bang, I hit him over the head with it.
“Later, I found out he was not a German spy. He just happened to be Polish… and he was on our side.”
After the war, Joan worked at C&A Modes in Kensington, where she enjoyed a four weeks’ holiday – a luxury as in the 1950s, many companies only allowed two weeks’ leave.
Joan met her future husband in a ballroom. When she saw him, she asked him to dance.
They married in 1947, when Joan was 25.
When asked about any tips for younger women in work and love, Joan said: “Always do a job you enjoy and don’t be afraid to ask.”
She also has a word of advice: “Enjoy every day and be grateful to your mother – mothers help bring you to maturity.”
The 100-year-old says she takes regular walks, which she thinks has helped her long life.
“I enjoy plain food and never drink heavily – just the occasional glass when with company,” she added.
