By Margaret Crosby

Published at 11:11, Thursday, 09 August 2012

NOBODY expects to live until a hundred, but more and more of us are, including Rita Stewart, who today becomes Whitehaven’s latest centenarian.

birthday girl: Rita Stewart has reached the milestone of 100 years and celebrated the event with family (from left) Gemma Stewart (grand daughter), Christine Minnorry (daughter), Keith Stewart (son) and Linda Stewart, Larraine Benson (grand daughter) and Lauren Nelson (great grand daughter)

She is celebrating with a wee glass of something and a family gathering at her Trinity Court home with her nearest and dearest.

Rita, the daughter of Clara and James Steele of Cleator Moor, and wife of the late William Stewart says: “I can’t believe I’ve reached my 100th birthday...it’s marvellous.’’

Like many of her generation, Rita’s early life was a hard one, leaving Montreal Girls’ School at aged 14 and going to work in her uncle’s grocer’s shop (Eddie Rowe’s), finishing at 7pm then going home to do the housework as her mother was in poor health.

She married William Stewart of Wath Brow and their first marital home together was in Mill Street, Whitehaven.

During the war Rita was manager of Stead & Simpson’s shoe shop in King Street, where she returned to work after her children, Keith and Christine, grew older.

During retirement Rita and William, a postal inspector with the GPO, enjoyed caravanning trips at home and abroad. Latterly they lived at Headlands Drive, Hillcrest, but after William died in 1990, Rita moved to Trinity Court.

Though her eyesight and hearing have now deteriorated, Rita was formerly a keen player of bridge and was a member of the Bridge Club of the Women’s Auxiliary of the YMCA.

“Mam was always a hard worker. She would cook and bake and always made my clothes when I was a child,’’ said her daughter, Christine Minnorry.

“She thinks the fact that she had a hard life when she was young has in some way contributed to her living so long. Up until she was 95 she was holidaying abroad with us.’’

Christine lives in Whitehaven and Rita’s son, Keith, lives at Kirkby Thore.

There are four grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk