Super (great) gran celebrates 107th birthday
TRADITIONAL TEA PARTY FOR A VERY SPECIAL LADY
A Wearside great-grandmother has celebrated her 107th birthday with a vintage-style tea party.
Ena Snowdon marked the occasion surrounded by friends at Springfield House, Houghton, on Friday.
The resident enjoyed entertainment from teenage singer Riannon Taggart, who performed a melody of Second World War songs in her honour.
Born in Herrington on June 23, 1910, Ena was the youngster of 11 siblings.
On leaving school she became a housemaid in Roker – the only job she had in her time before she settled down to have a family.
Marrying her husband John Snowdon, who was known as Jack, Ena became a full-time mum of three boys – Stanley, John, and Derek Snowdon.
The brothers are now aged 85, 83, and 76, respectively, and are spread out across the country, with just John remaining in Sunderland.
When war broke out, her husband was called to serve in the RAF until he was demobbed in 1945.
He then worked in local government while Ena raised her three boys, before he sadly died in 1982.
Ena, grand mother-of three and a great-grandmother-of-three, eventually moved into the residential home in the year 2000.
Seventeen years on, she is now the home’s oldest and longest-residing resident.
June Wilson, co-ordinator of the home, praised Ena’s lovely personality.
She said: “We celebrated the occasion with a buffet and a nice big cake. Ena has been here 17 years this July and she is an absolute pleasure to look after.
“She is not a bit of bother and would still rather do everything for herself.
“In her time with us she used to like sitting outside in
the sun.”
Her son Derek, from Scunthope, in North Lincolnshire, said: “My mother was the youngest of 11 siblings and is the only one left now.
“After leaving school she was in service at Roker, where she had the job of a housemaid and it was the only job she ever had before she got married.
“She was a housewife and mother of three and looked after us during the war.
“She was a team member of the Women’s Institute (WI) and was a keen churchgoer, attending Newbottle Church of England. She was also known as a fantastic embroiderer and a good cook.
“She decided to go into a care home in 2000 and she loves it there, we couldn’t fault the care home at all.”
Ms Wilson added: “She had a lovely day, singing along to Second World War melody and enjoying songs such as Que sera, sera.”