Marjorie turns 100 but keeps war secrets intact
Last updated 13:27, Thursday, 03 July 2008
A 100 YEAR birthday celebration took place at a Haltwhistle care home at the weekend after resident Marjorie Blake passed the centenary milestone.
Residents of Greenholme celebrated with Marjorie and were entertained by a group of children from the neighbouring school.
Haltwhistle First School pupils sang a selection of songs in a half hour concert to honour the special birthday.
Surrounded by flowers, balloons and cards, Marjorie joked: “We had a lovely time and I hope you all live till you’re 100. I’ll come to your party then!”
The birthday girl was full of vigour for her special occasion and keen to regale the listener with tales from her youth.
Born in a village outside Consett, she came to Haltwhistle with her husband Bill around 80 years ago.
The couple were married almost 60 years before Bill, who had been a quarryman, died.
Marjorie was a lady of leisure, and although the couple had no children of their own, they cared for evacuees during the war.
Marjorie said: “People used to just say, take them to Madge, so they did and they never wanted to leave.”
The couple housed children from the various towns and cities of the North-East, including Wallsend and Newcastle.
Reminiscing about her husband’s reaction to a couple of particularly tall evacuees, Marjorie said: “Bill came home and asked ‘where’s the bairns’. So I told him they were outside and he said, ‘they’re not bairns, they’re bigger than me!’ ”
The war was an active time for Marjorie who was keen to volunteer where she could for the war effort.
She was a member of the Women’s Royal Voluntary Service for many years, although delving for details brings a sparkle to the centenarian’s eyes and she won’t give up all the secrets of her war years.
Another of her war efforts was working down at the varnish factory which later became Crown Paints.
Later years were spent enjoying leisure time with her husband Bill and their two fox terriers Beauty and Jess.
