100 reasons to celebrate for north Shropshire great grandmother
Shropshire’s Alice Davies was born when Lloyd George was Prime Minister, George V was on the throne, and the First World War was in its final throes.
And now the great grandmother, who lives at Coverage Care’s Greenfields home in Whitchurch, has passed her centenary. Alice, who was born in Ruyton XI Towns and lived in Market Drayton for many years, marked her 100th birthday with a cake and entertainment on January 19 followed by a wider family celebration on January 21.
She was born and brought up in Ruyton-X1-Towns, the youngest of four children of Margaret and William Bowdler.
After leaving school, Alice worked as a companion to the housekeeper at the local rectory. She met her husband William (Bill) Davies when she was 16 and the couple married in 1938 before moving Blackpool.
But they soon returned to Shropshire, making their home in Market Drayton in 1939 at the outbreak of World War II.
Her daughters, Maureen Davies and Anne Cruise, said their parents moved back to the town in the hope of a safer and quieter life and for Bill to take up employment with the Air Ministry.
They added: “They had three daughters – ourselves and the late Margaret – and Mum now has two grandchildren and three great grandchildren. As we grew up and attended school, she worked for 12 years as a playground assistant at the Junior School before joining the NHS where she worked for 17 years at the town’s Cottage Hospital as an assistant in the physiotherapy department.
“Mum loved her house and enjoyed painting and decorating and spent many happy hours in her garden and looking after her grandchildren. She also liked to be involved in the church.”
Alice was widowed in 1999 and lived with Maureen until moving into Greenfields just over a year ago.
Chief executive of Coverage Care, David Coull, paid tribute to Alice on her special birthday.
He said: “Alice made a big contribution to her community, working in the school and hospital, and with her involvement in the local church.
“She deserves every congratulations on reaching such a milestone birthday and everyone at Greenfields was delighted to be able to share her special day.”