‘I waited my whole life to pursue my dream career’

Beate Howitt, 83, lives in Oxford. She is a widow and has two children, 56 and 58, and four grandchildren. ‘Being photographed for the cover of a glossy magazine? Fantastic! I like that!’

As a young person, I wanted to be a model. Every morning at the bus stop on the way to school, a very elegant, tall, slim young lady, who was always impeccably dressed, would walk by on her way to the station. I thought, “Wow.” I’d have liked a glamorous job.

But my guardian [Beate was adopted after moving to England from East Prussia at the age of 10] wouldn’t let me do that. He dictated what I had to do – I had to become a teacher.

I was very happy as a teacher and I taught in a primary school until I was about 60. Then I became a housemistress in a boarding school, which suited me until I retired at 70. I later moved to Oxford. One day, when I was 80, I was in a boutique and the assistant said, “Oh I do like the way you wear clothes. We’re doing a fashion show at the weekend and are desperate for another model. Would you come and help?” I said I’d love to. All the girls who were modelling were young and excited so they rushed the catwalk, but because I’m older, I took my time and apparently I was fantastic.

Designer Bianca Elgar came backstage and said, “Beate, I want you as my muse.” She had a photo shoot arranged and one of these photos was sent to a competition in London to find a mature face as the cover of Goldie magazine. I won that competition. Being a cover girl appealed to me. Being put into beautiful clothes? Fantastic! Being photographed for the cover of a glossy magazine? I like that! The trouble is, old women aren’t that popular as models – it’s all the young women who get all the modelling jobs. The last job I did was eyewear for Mono. I’ve done one for LloydsPharmacy and two or three for apartment blocks for the elderly. Nothing terribly exciting yet – but I live in hope.

I’m not a traditional retired old lady. I didn’t want to have a quiet retirement because I’m not a quiet person. I’m on the go all the time, I have masses of energy.

When I go up to London to do a shoot, it’s a new world. I love the creativity of it all, being photographed 60 or 70 times and being dressed and made up by other people. Mind you, to be in London for 9am for a shoot, you can’t use your senior railcard. I use the Oxford Tube bus, which is much cheaper but takes twice as long. You have to get up at 5.30 or 6am and walk to the bus station. That’s not so easy when you’re in your 80s.

I hope I will never retire from modelling. Iris Apfel has just had her 100th birthday, so I’ve got a long way to go.