Care home resident is 100 years young
A resident at a Romford care home last week celebrated her century in style with a telegram from the queen and a good old knees-up.
Evelyn Blackshaw, who lives at Sanctuary Care’s Chadwell House Care Home, had her friends and family with her as she turned back the clock for her hundredth birthday. Evelyn celebrated with a sing-song and a dance with local entertainer, Paul Coleman, in the main atrium at the Chadwell Heath Lane home.
Born on 19th July, 1911 in Bow, East London, Evelyn grew up in the area and attended Thomas Street Central School in Poplar. In 1945 she married Alfred Blackshaw, with whom she shared many fond memories, including family holidays away in Babbacombe with her brother George and his wife Kath.
Although they had no children, they both led busy working lives, Evelyn as a shop worker for the London Rubber Company and Alfred as a local council employee working as a chauffeur. On top of this they found the time to look after pets with two dogs, called Pele and Lassie, and a cat called Misty.
Sadly, in 1996, Alfred passed away and Evelyn lived on her own for a number of years before moving, in 2007, into Chadwell House where the staff support her to continue her happy and active life. When she’s not strutting her stuff on the dancefloor, Evelyn loves watching Eastenders or sitting down to a game of football.
On turning 100, Evelyn said: “It’s great to be turning 100, I have so many wonderful memories and I’m really glad I was able to share it with friends and family.”
Chris Gammons, manager of Chadwell House, added: “Congratulations to Evelyn on her special day, it’s great having her around – she’s a really active member of our community here.”