Portsmouth's Christine Gillam can't believe she has reached 100

With a spring in her step, the sprightly centenarian grins and laughs as she details her ‘fantastic’ birthday celebrations while emphasising her love for her family and her happiness in life.

Christine, known to her friends as Chris, smiles and says: ‘It was wonderful. Better than I could ever have expected to have on my birthday.’

Born to Nellie and Percy Withers on February 13, 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.

‘I went to work at Stents Glove Factory in Havant and learnt how to make the most beautiful leather gloves,’ says Chris.

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

As a young woman, it wasn’t unusual to find Chris with her girlfriends at dances most weekends.

She smiles and says: ‘Portsmouth was quite a happy place for young people back then.

‘I really enjoyed ballroom dancing and would often go to the dances at Clarence and South Parade Pier. There were several dance halls around here.

‘You would always go with your girlfriends. The girls would sit at one end of the room and the boys at the other end. The boys would actually ask you to dance in those days.

‘Whatever dance hall it was, they always had nice bands and orchestras playing the music.’

Chris says she first met her husband Louis Gillam when they were at dances together, but they always knew of each other. After a few years of dating, the couple married on January 13, 1940.

‘But he was then called up in the Second World War. He joined the marines and left in March 1940,’ explains Chris.

‘I moved in with my mum in North End. I was working as a telephone operator in the dockyard. I really enjoyed it, all the people I worked with were lovely.

‘I didn’t see him again until 1944.’

The Gillams had their first daughter Jean in 1945 and their second daughter Betty in 1949.

Chris says: ‘We got a council house in Bedhampton and we stayed there until Louis died in 1962.

‘I stayed there for a while after as well.’

At 69, Chris moved to Cornwell Court, Southsea, when it first opened in 1989. She explains how she loved embroidery, knitting and calligraphy in her younger days as well as travelling as much as she could.

‘I have travelled to Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Bulgaria, Rhodes, Spain and Jersey. New Zealand was something else,’ she explains.

‘I liked to go to these places and find out lots about the culture.

‘But never did I think I would get on a plane after the war.’

The great-great grandmother enjoyed her celebrations at Cornwell Court on February 13, as well as a family celebration at the weekend.

‘I walked in and the Royal Marines Band was playing. It really was something.

‘They did a beautiful celebration for me. There were a lot of people there.

‘I never, ever thought I would get to this age. When people ask my age, I had two numbers but now I have got three.

‘To say I am 100 years old is unbelievable.’

She smiles and says: ‘My children and my family mean the world to me.

‘They always make me feel loved and happy.’