Worksop care home resident celebrates milestone 104th birthday

Former nurse Hilda Drake will mark the momentous birthday with a party with friends and family at Greenacres Grange on Friday December 22 ahead of the big day on December 23.

Mrs Drake is mum to 80-year-old son Ken, also a resident at the home, daughter Linda, aged 74 and 68-year-old Christine and has three grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

Mrs Drake who was also an identical twin to sister Nancy, has had a tough life over the years losing her first husband in the war and surviving her own home being bombed on the day of his funeral.

She went on to marry Albert Drake who she divorced 24 and a half years later only to remarry him 13 years later after their daughter encouraged them to speak again ahead of her own wedding day.

Speaking about the secret to her long life daughter Linda Embleton said: “She’s a tough character with a great sense of humour and very independent, she’s been independent since the day she left home aged 15 and she’s never lost that in fact she’s been having a laugh with the staff this morning telling them to go away because she doesn’t need them

"When she divorced my dad she spent the next 13 years before they remarried doing all the things she wanted to do, training to become a nurse, learning to drive and when she came back she was a new woman, she wasn’t such a push over. I think having that time to do what she wanted did her good.

"She’s got a great memory and loves to have a chat.”

Linda is hoping her mum manages to make the most of her party as she missed the majority of her 100th party after taking a nap.

Linda laughed: “She was so excited to receive her card from the Queen, she was beside herself and it was as though as soon as she had the card in her hands she could relax, so much so she slept through the whole party.”