Retired teacher and wartime fire watcher celebrates 100th birthday at Welbourn Hall nursing home

A resident of Welbourn Hall nursing home has celebrated her 100th birthday.

Dorothy Saunders was born September 21, 1922 on a farm in Eckington, Derbyshire, and over the past century has lived a full life and seen plenty of change.

To celebrate this monumental milestone, staff at Welbourn Hall made sure it was a fun-filled day to remember, which included a horse and carriage visit from White Gate Stables in Brant Broughton, a whiskey tasting session from The Lincoln Whiskey Shop and performances from live singers.

In the afternoon friends and relatives visited for a party where Dorothy was showered with gifts and presented with a hand decorated cake, lovingly made by a member of staff.

"I seem to have been retired forever," said Dorothy, when asked about her life.

"I went to college in Edinburgh during the war, where I trained in cookery and needlework to be a teacher. Whilst I was there I volunteered to do fire watching in the air raids."

After the Second World War Dorothy taught in schools around her native Midlands for 36 years, in Lincoln, Mansfield and the Lilley and Stone Girls School in Newark.

It was while teaching that Dorothy met her late husband Ernest, a fellow teacher, whom she was happily married to for over 50 years.

When they had both retired, the couple spent much of their time travelling.

"We went to Greece, Italy, France and we went to Spain, but I didn't like it," she chuckled.

"We also loved walking but I hated a tent, so we toured Britain in a caravan with the dog.

"We spent a lot of time in Scotland. We just loved it there, a beautiful country, and, after all, they had whiskey."

Dorothy said a lot had changed since she was born, saying: "My mother had nine children, I was was one of only five to survive.

"Nowadays it's beyond comprehension but things were much different in those days, you had to pay for everything and we didn't have the NHS."

But it wasn't just healthcare that was different, Dorothy's family had a gramophone instead of a radio for entertainment, her father kept several shotguns and also butchered his own animals, hanging them up in the sheds outside their home.

Dorothy has always been a very determined woman, saying that nothing defeated her and even had a rebellious streak in her, as she loved motorbikes — at one point she was injured after coming off a bike as a young woman.

Her father was determined for her not to get back on a bike and gave her £200 pounds to buy a car instead and she enjoyed driving regularly and continued to do so until just a few years ago.

A self-described Royalist, Dorothy has seen five royals made monarch after being born when King George V was on the throne, followed by Edward VIII, George VI, our recently departed Queen Elizabeth II and now King Charles III.

Unfortunately, Dorothy didn't receive the traditional 100th birthday letter from the monarch in time for her landmark day.

Buckingham Palace had told the home that the anniversary office was closed until further notice following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. But this didn't dissuade Dorothy.

"I would be honoured to receive a letter from the Queen, but now that she's gone I wouldn't mind one from Charles either. If they can be bothered to send one that is," she said with a smile and a twinkle in her eye.

"I think he'll be a good king, after all he's been training for long enough."

When asked what her secret to long life was, she said: "Being born on a farm. The fresh air, riding the horses, living an outdoor life. I was a happy child and I always loved animals.

"Although I don't know why people want me to go digging up the past, I'm not an archaeologist."

Dorothy lived in Norton Disney for many years before going to Welbourn Hall, where she had a library of thousands of books that she'd buy a dozen at a time.

Although admitting that she had not read every single one of them, she let on that her favourites were always spy novels, with a particular love for Ian Fleming and James Bond.

Daniela Phillips, manager of Welbourn Hall, had nothing but praise for Dorothy. She said: "She's extraordinary, she came to us nearly two years ago and knew that she might never go home.

"To leave everything behind. The memories of her husband and her pets, it's so brave.

"But she's shared so much with the staff. We may not be blood, but we are her family now and she always asks about us and our families, knows every name.

"I will never be able to show my gratitude to her. She is a symbol of what it means to grow old."