Countdown is the secret to reaching 100 according to Portsmouth's Sylvia Milverton

It’s all about the four Cs according to Sylvia Milverton: carrots, Countdown, crochet and crosswords.
Sylvia Milverton celebrates her 100th birthday.Sylvia Milverton celebrates her 100th birthday.
Sylvia Milverton celebrates her 100th birthday.

Now celebrating her 100th birthday, Sylvia insists that is her secret to a long life.

She smiles and says: ‘It’s important to keep busy.’

‘The Countdown team senther a birthday message together with a number 100 tile used inthe TV show,’ adds Sylvia’s daughter, Sheila.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Born on January 30, 1920, in Londesborough Road, Southsea, she was the eldest child of Edgar and Florence Bishop and grew up with her sister Beryl and brother, Richard.

Sylvia started school at Bramble Road Infants before finishing at Portsmouth Northern Secondary School.

The Bishops moved to Green Lane, Copnor, when her father Edgar, a Chief Petty Officer Chef, retired from the Royal Navy.

Sheila, says: ‘They were not well off, did not have holidays or many outings but she had a happy childhood.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

‘Before school she remembers going on her scooter to the butcher’s for six pennyworth of steak and two pennyworth of kidney for a suet pudding for lunch.’

Throughout her childhood, Sylvia enjoyed playing the piano as well as attending Sunday School and church services at St Matthew’s Church and played the organ at St Nicholas’ Church, Portsmouth.

Sylvia’s first job was as a clerical officer at grocers Pink & Sons and Banks & Sons. She then became a clerk cashier at Melanie’s Department Store, North End, and during the Second World War she worked in the Rate Fixers’ Office at Airspeed on the old Portsmouth Airport site.

One day in 1940, Sylvia went to a North End pub after work and it was there she met her future husband Edward Milverton. Known as Ted, Sylvia vividly remembers he was wearing his RAF uniform.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The couple married on April 26, 1941, at St Bartholomew’s Church, Southsea, and she carried a bouquet of anemones, her favourite flowers.

Sheila says: ‘On their wedding day, there was an unexploded bomb nearby which was later towed out to sea and detonated.’

Ted worked as a hospital administrator but during the Second World War he joined the RAF and was posted to Sheerness and Iceland.

Upon his return, he was acting hospital secretary at the Royal Portsmouth Hospital which was on the site that is now Sainsbury’s in Commercial Road.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

‘He was involved in the setting up of the National Health Service locally,’ adds Sheila.

An avid Pompey fan, Ted regularly attended matches and the couple enjoyed several holidays together.

The couple moved to Mayles Road, Milton, and raised their two daughters Sheila and Pauline.

Sheila says: ‘Ted was the loveof her life and she was a very devoted wife.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

‘Sadly he passed away in 1976 and Sylvia then moved to her bungalow in Neville Avenue where she has lived ever since.’

Today, Sylvia is now a proud grandmother of two granddaughters and four great-grandchildren.

In 1978 she was a founder member of Castle View Women’s Institute at Portchester and attended regularly until the last few years when her age has made it difficult for her.

However, she was welcomed back at the group’s January meeting to celebrate this special birthday with tea and cake.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

On her actual birthday, Sylvia enjoyed a lunch with her daughters.

Neighbours and friends also visited for tea and cake.

Her third celebration was a family party at her daughter Pauline’s home at Chidham with more cake, decorated especially with anemones.

Sheila explains: ‘She had a birthday card from the Queen which has pride of place on her lounge wall in the official palace frame.’

Sylvia says: ‘I feel very lucky to still be able to live in my bungalow and grateful to my daughters for their help in making this possible.’

Related topics: