A grandmother is looking forward to receiving a birthday card from the King today.
Dorothy Edmonson, a resident at Longridge Hall Care Home, turns 100 on Friday, October 11.
Having been born in 1924, she has spent her entire life in Longridge, watching the town change over the decades.
She met her husband, Bill, on the same street where they grew up and tied the knot in 1950.
Their marriage lasted 59 years, with two sons, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren all living in the Longridge area.
Ms Edmonson's childhood in Longridge was filled with 'playing on the rec' and watching the steam trains pass by.
The outbreak of World War II, when she was just 15, left her with vivid memories of the hardships of that era.
She recalls sleeping in a three-quarter bed in her mother’s bathroom due to the housing and rental shortage.
A lover of the outdoors, Ms Edmonson enjoyed long walks around Longridge and caravan holidays in the Yorkshire Dales with Bill.
A 'talented seamstress', she often made dresses for local events and balls, particularly during her time with Bill.
She continues to crochet and knit, proudly filling her wardrobe with homemade outfits.
Ms Edmonson was also musically gifted, playing piano for local dance bands and later at the Derby Arms and Forester Arms in Longridge.
Her school music teacher, Gurty Turner, also taught Mary, one of Longridge Hall’s carers.
Ms Edmonson and Mary often reminisce about their shared experiences in Longridge over the years.
Ms Edmonson worked at the Smiths cloth factory on Berry Lane in her late teens into her early twenties and purchased her first home with Bill for just £1,600 in 1950.
The house was their family home for 20 years.
Even at 100, Ms Edmonson continues to embrace life with her 'signature energy and creativity.'
She enjoys spending time on her iPad, looking at family photos and searching for new crochet patterns.
Ms Edmonson is a popular resident at Longridge Hall, loved by both residents and carers alike for her warmth and kindness.
The Longridge Hall Care Home community, along with Ms Edmonson’s family, will celebrate her 100th birthday in the care home's pub, The Lodgers Arms.
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