WHEN Marjorie Carroll was born George V was on the throne, Sylvia Pankhurst was jailed for her women’s rights activities, the first women jury members in Britain were sworn in in Bristol and Aston Villa beat Huddersfield Town 1–0 in the first FA Cup Final since 1915.

It was a special year for babies, with the all-time highest annual number of live births in the country, more than 1.1 million.

Marjorie came into the world in Great Horton Road, Bradford,the only child of Arthur Evelyn Smith and Mary Alice Smith.

The family business was John Wm.Smith (Gt.Horton) Limited, manufacturers of high class fresh fruit jams, jellies, marmalade and bottled fruit. Marjorie’s uncle also worked in the business.

The family lived in a cottage nearby. One of Marjorie’s fondest childhood memories are holidaying at her grandad’s house in Morecambe.

They later the moved to Rawdon where Marjorie attended school.

She left school aged 14 years, joining W B Cartwright manufacturing chemists Rawdon, where she worked in the packing and finishing department filling bottles with cod liver oil.

When the family relocated to Shipley, Marjorie found a position with Reflecto, a mirror shop in Godwin Street, Bradford, and later Darley Street.

Marjorie recalls that as part of her many duties at Reflecto she used to dress the windows and make sure all the mirrors were kept clean.

She met her husband Raymond at a dance in Victoria Hall, Saltaire. He proposed while they were on a date at the Rosse in Saltaire.

Raymond served in the Royal Navy before working at Christopher Pratts furniture business.

The couple moved to Rawdon and then to Shipley where they lived until Raymond’s sudden death at home in December 1988 aged 68.

From 1940 To 1944 Marjorie carried out her National Service joining the ATS (Auxiliary Territorial Service). Starting as a private, she did her basic training in Pontefract before moving to Church Fenton near York where she worked as a plotter, mapping both British and enemy aircraft. She was later promoted to corporal.

Marjorie moved into a flat in Beamsley House Shipley where she led a full and varied life, going on holiday with friends, having regular days out and helping out at church.

She lived at Beamsley House up until recently, moving to Brookfield Residential Care Home in Nab Wood Shipley where she continues to live a full and active life.

Family and friends joined Marjorie and staff at The Clubhouse Fairmount Park Shipley for a party to celebrate reaching her century.

When asked what her secret to a long life Marjorie put it down to enjoying a cooked breakfast in the morning and a glass of whisky every night.