Portsmouth veteran who couldn't believe she'd reached 100 now marks 103rd birthday and is 'overwhelmed' with support

Christine Gillam, known to her friends as Chris, celebrated her 103rd birthday on February 13 at Cornwell Court in Southsea, alongside friends, neighbours, and five generations of her family who ‘mean the world’ to her.

‘They always make me feel loved and happy,’ said Christine when The News covered her 100th birthday three years ago.

Christine’s great-granddaughter Vicky Slack, from Baffins, who was there to celebrate and create lasting memories with the vivacious centenarian, was struck by the many others who also came to mark the special occasion. She said: ‘It was lovely, there were a lot of people, at least 65, it was full up! It was really nice, she loved it, you’re not sure at that age if they want to celebrate, but actually, everyone wanted to celebrate with her. It’s amazing to get to that age.’

Chris, a keen traveller in her younger days, was showered in gifts by her loved ones from flowers to wine and sherry. Vicky was also keen for her own son – nine-year-old Jacob – to spend quality time with his treasured great-great grandma.

‘He was wanting to help tidy up so he was going round with the trolley and they loved it, it was sweet,’ says Vicky. ‘He enjoyed it as well and it’s one of those things he can look back on,’ she adds.

Born to Nellie and Percy Withers in 1920, in Reginald Road, Eastney, Chris grew up with her two sisters Nellie and Maisie. Chris started her education at New Road School, Buckland, and finished at Drayton Road School, North End, when she left at 14 years old, going to work at Stents Glove Factory, in Havant, making ‘beautiful’ leather gloves.

‘I enjoyed every minute. I cycled from Portsmouth to Havant every day,’ said Chris.

‘She always talks about how happy she was,’ adds great-granddaughter Vicky. ‘She says that people panic about the prices now, back then they had rations and didn’t have much money at all - but they still enjoyed their life, they were happy!’

Christine worked as a telephone exchange operator in Portsmouth Docks during the war and as a keen dancer, Christine was often attending dances with her girlfriends and it was on one of these occasions she formally met her husband, Louis Gillam.

However, the couple had always known each other and after a few years of dating, they married on January 13, 1940.

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Louis was then called up in the Second World War, joining the marines and leaving in March 1940, and Chris did not see him again until 1944. She moved in with her mother in North End and began her work at the Dockyard.

‘I really enjoyed it, all the people I worked with were lovely,’ she said.

The Gillams had their first daughter Jean in 1945 and their second daughter Betty in 1949, both of whom were there to mark their mum’s special day. The family moved to Bedhampton, where they stayed until Louis sadly passed away in 1962.

At 69, Chris moved to Cornwell Court and has been there ever since, having made lasting friendships, including those which helped put together a ‘lovely’ spread for her 103rd birthday.

Describing her great-grandmother, Vicky says: ‘She’s very generous, kind and caring. When you go and visit her, you can still have lunch and a cup of tea and conversation with her, that’s what’s nice, you can talk about things that she remembers which I find really interesting.’

‘It’s nice to see everyone want to come to her party, I think she was quite overwhelmed!’