A 100 year old woman, who counts cycling to Czechoslovakia in the 1950s among her lifetime achievements, celebrated her milestone birthday with a party at a Fenland care home.
Margaret Rowley was joined by her family and friends to raise a glass to becoming a centenarian.
Brian Elderfield her son said: “Mum is a real character, so driven, but always had time for me when I was growing up despite being so busy.
“She is a fantastic woman.”
Margaret lied about her age to get onto a nurses training course in the 1930s.
She worked at Southampton general hospital during WW2 and was in charge of a busy ward during a bombing attack for which she was commended for her work.
She then worked as the deputy matron at a children’s home in Bournemouth, moving on to a role as the first person in the country to work placing foster children into permanent homes across the UK.
Margaret was offered the opportunity to buy two nursing homes in the Bournemouth area, Landsdowne and Normandy, which she ran in the 1960s and 70s.
In the 1950s she cycled to Czechoslovakia with a friend and throughout her life kept up her passion for travelling including a one year trek around Australia in a caravanette.
She was a member of the Business and Professional Women’s Club of Great Britain and at one time was vice president of the English branch.
She moved to the Fens three years ago where she now lives at Hickathrift House in Marshland St James.
Margaret celebrated surrounded by cards and gifts from her family and friends including daughter Margaret McClaffferty, two grand children and two great grand children.
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