Grand Old Do At The Grange

Grand old Adeline Allen, who celebrated her 100th birthday yesterday, said "being a good girl, helping those you can, and saying your prayers" are the secrets to her long life.

Yesterday afternoon, Mrs Allen's whole family, who live in the Keynsham and Stockwood areas of Bristol, gathered for a party at her grandchild Keri Loughran and her husband's hotel, the Grange, in Keynsham.

As well as a telegram from the Queen, Mrs Allen also received a cake with 100 candles. Despite having a hearing monitor, and little sight, Mrs Allen is in good health.

She loves singing Welsh songs, and goes to a nursing home in Stockwood once a week to see her friends.

Mrs Allen was born in Abertilary, South Wales, on August 3, 1909, an only child to Joshua and Elizabeth Anne Davis.

Mrs Allen remembers her husband-to-be Lesley coming to her father, who ran a greengrocers, for his first job after leaving school at 14.

They fell in love and married at the baptist chapel in 1928.

The couple had one son, Tony, who is now 77, two grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, and four great-great-grandchildren, with one on the way.

Not long after getting married, Mr and Mrs Allen moved to London to deliver milk in a wholesale business.

They lived in Shepherd's Bush and made many friends there. After 12 years in London they moved back to Abertilary.

While her husband was in the Army during the war, Mrs Allen, with the help of two other ladies, carried on the business.

Mrs Allen's husband died about 15 years ago, and she moved in with her son in Birfield Road, Stockwood, in 1993.