Cowplain resident celebrates 100th birthday with family and friends
‘I never thought I would reach 100 years old’
“It is just how I wanted to celebrate” said Eileen Gordon surrounded by family and friends to mark her hundredth birthday.
The Cowplain resident enjoyed the landmark day on October 18 with a family gathering before a surprise party was thrown five days later at Cowplain Age Concern, an organisation she “loved every minute” of volunteering with for 25 years.
Reflecting on reaching a century, Eileen said: “It’s great, I never thought I would reach 100 years old. It was lovely to spend it with my family. If I was to have a celebration then that is how I wanted it to be, with my friends, family, children and great-grandchildren.”
Having moved to Cowplain from Portsmouth at a young age, she never wanted to live anywhere else. It was where she married her husband James (known as Jim), and brought up her two children John and Jane whose births she described as the happiest moments in her 100 years.
When Jim died at 56, Eileen immersed herself in the community, attending St Wilfred’s Church, joining The Women’s Fellowship, and volunteering with The Royal British Legion and Age Concern.
Eileen has witnessed huge changes in Cowplain over the years, recollecting how it used to be all cottages and a country village with just a few shops. She remembers getting the tram from Waterlooville to Portsmouth for “one and thrupance” before it stopped in 1935.
While the Second World War is falling out of living memory, Eileen saw first hand the impact it had on the area. She worked in a factory in the woods building aerial torpedo releases.
“We used to see dog fights in the sky,” she said. “We used to live opposite the school field where there were ack-ack guns and we would have to all lay in the hall. We had aunts and uncles come up from Portsmouth and sleep on our floor because they were so terrified of the bombing.
“One time a German plane went down in Park Lane and the local Dad’s Army arrested the pilot. It was a scary time.”
Her daughter, Jane Williams, from Denmead, said: “Like a lot of people her age, she is amazing. There is something about that generation, they are tough, but she is loving as well. A very generous and affectionate lady.
“We had a simple life growing up, that generation worked very hard as there was not much money after the war. So we worked very hard for everything that we had and mum always kept us very well fed and clothed. Dad had about three jobs and mum worked hard to get food on the table and keep us safe.
“Her love and compassion has been the gel that has kept the family together all these years.”
As her hundredth birthday approached, Eileen was delighted to receive her birthday card from King Charles III and Queen Camilla.