KHT Tenant celebrates 100th birthday in style » Housing » 24dash.com

A man who has lived in the same house for 73 years celebrated his 100th birthday this week.

John Crawford - who was born in Liverpool the year George V became King - has watched neighbours come and go, a supermarket built nearby and Knowsley Village develop since he arrived.

"A lot has changed since I moved in," said John, who moved into the two-bedroomed house in 1937. "It used to be a rural area and everyone could just pop down to the farm to get their milk and vegetables."

John is Knowsley Housing Trust's (KHT) longest serving tenant although his home was originally owned by Liverpool Council.

Despite being the oldest of seven children growing up in Liverpool he has outlived all of his siblings.

As a boy he went to Harrington Council School and then onto Toxteth Technology School.

"After school I wanted to join the RAF but my mother died when I was 16 so I had to find work to support the family," he said.

In the late 1920s he got a job working for the Automatic Telephone Company - later Plessey Electronics - as a fitter on Edge Lane, Liverpool.

During the Second World War he worked hard for the company, which produced a vast array of vital supplies for the war effort, including shell cases, aircraft parts, and radio equipment.

After the war he helped make the early electric traffic lights and was at Plessey's for nearly 50 years before retiring.

The love of his life was Doris who he married in 1937. They lived together in Knowsley Village until Doris died in 2004 aged 93.

John has also been a member of St John's Ambulance for 45 years and was on patrol for them at football matches. He is a red himself, but still wishes the blues well.

"I am a Liverpool fan but I always want Everton to do well too," he said.

This week KHT delivered a cake and wished their longest-serving tenant well for the future.

He had a big birthday party last weekend where 80 of his family, friends and neighbours celebrated his landmark.

The Queen and relatives from around the world - including New Zealand and Korea - sent him birthday cards.

Despite reaching his landmark he still enjoys a family pub lunch every now and then and has this tip for a long life: Just take one day at a time.