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Mrs Marjorie Bligh-Wall (nee Radley-Young) was 105 on Saturday and her birthday was a quiet affair (unlike her life) surrounded by her family members and her carers at South Wight Housing Association's Byrnhill Grove Registered Care Home in Ventnor.
Mrs Bligh-Wall is the third member of the Isle of Wight community to reach the milestone this year.
Born in Kent in 1903 Mrs Bligh-Wall spent most of her life in Zimbabwe and South Africa.
At the age of 95 she returned to live in England and moved to the Isle of Wight to be near her eldest daughter Mrs Catherine Pigott. The political situation in Zimbabwe was the reason for her return to England.
"We are all delighted that she has reached this marvellous age. My mother's a tough lady with a strong heart and we celebrated her 105th birthday with a family get together around a cake," said Mrs Pigott.
She added: "my mother worked as a piano teacher until she was 95 and she celebrated her 100th birthday by enjoying a helicopter flight."
Mrs Bligh-Wall raised a family of five children alone as her husband was killed in a fishing accident in 1948. Her youngest daughter was only five-years old when the tragedy happened. Mrs Bligh-Wall has outlived one of her sons.
Mrs Bligh-Wall was born a year after the end of the Boer War in South Africa. King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra were on the throne and that year they were proclaimed Emperor and Empress of India. The journalist and author George Orwell was also born in the same year.
Her father was an artist. He painted and taught art at Bournemouth and, for a short time, he was a designer at Poole Pottery.
Mrs Bligh-Wall moved to Byrnhill Grove in 2003 where she has lived happily and been cared for by a team of carers.
Margaret Wright, Director of South Wight Housing Association, said: "All of my staff congratulate Mrs Bligh-Wall and wished her a very happy birthday.
"The team at Byrnhill celebrated her with a birthday tea surrounded by her friends and family. She has led a remarkable life. Her longevity is clearly as a result of leading an inspired life and a
positive response to the care that she is receiving from my staff."
