100-year-old leap year baby celebrates her 25th
A 100-year-old leap year baby has just celebrated her 25th birthday.
Marea Allwood-coppin’s extended family gathered together from all over the country to celebrate at her retirement home in Keynsham on Saturday (February 29).
Although she has lived 100 years, she has officially only turned 25, with her birth date only coming around every four years.
“We only celebrate every four years because she’s only 25!” her son Michael Allwoodcoppin joked.
“Actually, we celebrate around her birthday with a little thing three years out of four and on the fourth we have a slightly bigger party.
“The 21st of course was a good one! It’s silly little things like that.”
Although Marea now has Alzheimer’s which impacts her memory, Michael tells us she had a “good life.”
Born Marea Harriet Marchant on February 29, 1920, in Northampton, she was one of three children.
After she left school Marea became a telephone operator in the main exchange in Northampton.
Then in 1942 during the Second World War, she joined the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) as a radar operator.
While waiting for her first posting she attended dances at the local hall with friends.
One time she was particularly taken by a handsome soldier, Dave Allwood-coppin, but was disappointed to find he couldn’t dance.
The next week she attended the dance again and was amazed to find that in the intervening week, he had learned a few steps with the help of his mates.
He went on to have dance lessons while on leave in London. This was the start of their lifelong romance, although due to the war and their various postings, the couple were not able to marry until September 7, 1946.
The couple, who moved to Keynsham in the mid-1950s, had three sons - Michael, who lives in Brislington, Anthony, who is in Colchester, and John, whose home is at Ston Easton. Marea, who was widowed in 2005, now has six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. She was a founder member of the Keynsham Townswomen’s Guild which was formed around 1958-59. She was chairwoman on at least two occasions and was also a representative of the Townswomen’s Bristol Federation. In her 80s Marea founded and was chairwoman of the Longwell Green Townswomen’s Guild and attended a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in July 2009 - a tribute to her long service with the organisation. Marea has travelled widely, including to Australia, New Zealand and the United States, as well as around Europe. Two-and-a-half years ago Marea moved into SS Philip and James Retirement Home in Keynsham. Her family say that after a very full and active life, she is now able to relax and enjoy being looked after there.