Centenary girls’ festive parties (From Warrington Guardian)

Centenary girls’ festive parties

10:18am Monday 7th January 2008 in Collins Green By Neil Docking

TWO special ladies celebrated their 101st Christmases after reaching treble figures in December.

Jane Grigg, from St Oswald's Nursing Home in Winwick and Marjorie Dumbill, from St Mary's Care Centre in Collins Green, both enjoyed parties to celebrate their 100th birthdays surrounded by friends and family.

Mrs Grigg, who is originally from Aspatria in West Cumbria, worked as a maid and then as a cook for a local doctor after she finished school.

Her family moved to the Cumbrian coastal town of Maryport, where she met her future husband Matthew Grigg and had a son, Roland.

She was heavily involved in her church, supporting women's Guides and an over-60s club, but moved to Holcroft Grange in Culcheth when her husband died fifteen years ago.

Alison Wakefield, activities co-ordinator at St Oswald's said: "She didn't really want anything special but we arranged for Winwick Primary School children to come and sing to her and she was delighted."

Mrs Dumbill celebrated her big day with a visit from family members young and old - including some of her three children, six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Originally from Rock Ferry in Wirral, in 1938, she married Thomas Dumbill, a tanner from Warrington, and moved to Grappenhall.

She spent most of her life living in Walton, before moving to Crosby, then North Wales, back to Rock Ferry and finally to Undercliffe House in Appleton after her husband died.

A former physiotherapist, she is also a talented singer and painter, having sung with the Liverpool Philharmonic Choir and sold many of her paintings.