Olive celebrates century with card from the Queen

Welshpool centenarian Olive Williams celebrated her 100^th birthday yesterday (Thursday) with a card and message from the Queen at a Shrewsbury residential care home where she now lives.

On the day Olive was born, Liberal David Lloyd George was Prime Minister, Pope Pius XI was leading the Catholic Church and Chow Tsu-chi became the acting president of the Republic of China.

She celebrated her very special day in the company of her son, Sid and daughter, Elaine James, at Heartlands Care Home where one of her carers baked a cake for the occasion.

Born in Four Crosses, Olive worked for the Earl of Powis at Powis Castle near Welshpool until she married her husband Ron Williams who died in 1988, aged 66.

The couple lived in Welshpool and their two children, Sid and Elaine, live in Shrewsbury and Castle Caereinion respectively.

Olive, who has three grandchildren, Anne, Chris and Allan and two great grandchildren, Ruby-Mae and Hope, worked for chemist L. Rowland & Co in Welshpool for 20 years before volunteering at the hospice shop in Welshpool for many years.

Her daughter Elaine said: “We all think it’s fantastic that mum is celebrating her 100^th birthday. She loves her family.

“When dad was alive, they spent most of their time at their caravan in Clarach, near Aberystwyth which they loved. She then started volunteering at the charity shop.

“Before she had a bad fall at home, she liked to go for walks and went to St Mary’s Church in Welshpool every Sunday. We worked together for a short time at L. Rowland & Co and I now volunteer at the charity shop where mum volunteered.”

PICTURE: Olive Williams celebrates her 100^th birthday with son Sid and daughter Elaine.