PICTURED: Martha Heyes

QUEEN Victoria's reign had five years to run; there were rumbling of Boer unrest in South Africa and horse-drawn cabs were to be seen on London's streets when Martha Rone was born on July 10,1896.

And the bouncing babe has not wandered far from her roots in Bourne Street, Peasley Cross. For, after living in nearby Dyson Street for many years, it was just up the road in Robins Lane that Martha - now Mrs Heyes - celebrated her 100th birthday.

Her home was awash with countless messages of congratulation, special centenary gifts and beautiful bouquets, with a telegram from the Queen holding pride of place on Martha's mantlepiece.

The big day was marked with an 'open house' style party when relatives, friends and neighbours dropped in to toast Mrs. Heyes, and the rejoicings continued at Peasley Cross United Reformed Church on Monday when Mayor and Mayoress Councillor Alex and Mrs Esther Worth were among the guests.

A former pupil of the one-time 'back lane' school in Peasley Cross and later at Robins Lane school, Martha worked at various local glass factories including Bishops, Forsters and UGB, which was then known as Cannington-Shaws, and also did her bit for the First World War effort in working on munitions.

It was while at the latter firm that Martha met the love of her life in Harry Heyes, and after he returned from the first world war they were married by Reverend Beard at Peasley Cross Congregational Church on May 15, 1926.

The union was blessed in the following year with the birth of their only child Arthur, now 69, who continues to show similar devotion to his mother as he did to his father until his death last August at the age of 98, after almost 60 years of happy marriage to his beloved Martha.

Said Arthur: "Apart from cataract problems Mum is remarkably fit considering she has reached the century milestone, and there is nothing she likes better than a trip around the neighbourhood in her wheelchair, when she can relive memories of her childhood and talk over old times with friends she has known for years.'

And what is the recipe for longevity in the opinion of remarkably well-preserved grand old lady Martha Heyes: 'Faith in God, hard work when I was young, and a wee dram of the hard stuff at night - but not too much mind you."

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