Birthday party was 100 years in the making for Anne

Birthday girl Anne with children (from left) Shirley Allen, Tony Hanson, Jackie Walton, and Ivy Buckley.

Anne Underwood was born on February 14, 1918, which made the recent Valentine’s Day her 100th birthday.

The mum to nine, grandma to 15, great-grandma to 24 and great-great-grandma to one was born in Farnham, Hampshire. After being widowed in 1977, she re-married in 1983 and relocated to Lincolnshire – first Tattershall, then Ruskington, and since 2015, Bramhall Residential Care, in between Coningsby and Tattershall.

On Valentine’s Day, celebrations were held in Coningsby for her 100th birthday.

Her son Tony Hanson said: “Mum feels blessed that despite her advancing years, the room at the Leagate Inn, was filled to bursting with around 50 family and friends of all ages, who all came together to celebrate this milestone birthday.

“She was over the moon to see so many familiar faces, including people she has befriended over the years. People travelled from as far away as Scotland, Barnsley, Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire to be there.”

When asked for the secret to a long life, Anne credited hard work, her ‘love of the Lord’, and the love of the people she has had in her life.

“I have some wonderful friends and the card I got from Her Majesty was the cherry on the cake,” she said.

Some of the events that have happened since Mrs  Underwood was born include:

• Women in the UK aged over 30 gain the right to vote.

• Moscow becomes the capital of revolutionary Russia.

• The Royal Air Force is created.

• Nelson Mandela is born.

• After four years of conflict, the First World War ends.