Celebrating 100 years

Friends and family of Gertrude Arthars held a party to celebrate her 100th birthday, with the great-grandmother proudly declaring she felt ‘prettier than the Queen’ on her big day. A former French polisher during her working life, Gertrude, known to everyone as Gertie, sparkled on her birthday, surrounded by five generations of her family at PrimeLife’s Meadow View Care Home in Warwickshire. Her great-granddaughter, who is currently pregnant with twins, also joined in the celebrations. The party, held on November 30th, was organised by Gertie’s two children Michael and June, and saw 30 members of her family, friends and old neighbours come to wish her a happy birthday. Gertie was presented with a birthday card from the Queen and said: “I will cherish this forever. She is a lovely lady but I think I am prettier than her.” Born on November 28, 1913, Gertie was raised on a farm in Coughton Fields in Warwickshire, where she often helped on the farm, milking the cows. She enjoyed polishing furniture and visitors to her home would regularly comment on the beautifully-kept rooms. Gertie is well-known for her sense of humour and often tells rude jokes that that would make people half her age blush. She said: “My name is Gertrude so take out the ‘Gert’ and your left with ‘Rude’ which probably explains a lot.”