A SOCIABLE 100-year-old has toasted working hard and playing hard as the key to enjoying a long life on her milestone birthday.

Enid Jackson, who currently lives at Sandiway Lodge Nursing Home, has lived her whole life in Northwich and played an important role in the production of aircraft for the RAF during the Second World War.

Unfortunately, due to coronavirus restrictions and the lockdown of the home, Enid was unable to spend time with family and friends in person.

But thanks to modern technology and social media, her family were able to join in with the celebrations in the safety of their own homes.

Enid was born in Castle in 1920 to George and Nellie Gerrard and spent most of her young life there with her younger sibling Hilary.

She met her husband Ron at a dance in Winnington Park when he was on leave from the navy during the war and they married at St John the Baptist Church in Hartford in September 1945. Their son Alan was born two years later.

During their happy marriage, the couple lived in Weaverham, Hartford and Cuddington before moving into Ron’s family home in Barnton around 1961, which had been in the family for several generations.

Ron sadly passed away in 1999 and Enid lived there until 2013, when she moved into the nearby Oakwood House sheltered accommodation and then Essendene. Enid moved to Sandiway Lodge in 2019.

Northwich Guardian:

Her illustrious working career included working at Co-op in Northwich as a cashier, but her most memorable job was when the Second World War started in 1939.

She volunteered to work at a number of aircraft building factories, and in a short time was promoted to become the last person to inspect Wellington and Lancaster Bombers before they were flight tested and handed over to the RAF for duty.

During the Battle of Britain, her responsibilities increased and she was working up to 18 hours a day, seven days a week.

After the war, Enid also worked for ICI at Wade Works and Lostock.

Her son Alan said: “She was very sociable with many interests and enjoyed family holidays, latterly going with friends Margaret and John Coombes and with Elsie and Bill Goodier.

“She still enjoys a glass or three of Baileys and is not averse to other alcohol from time to time.

“If asked for the reasons behind her longevity, she would say the love of family and friends, working and playing hard, ambition and the enjoyment of everything she did to the best of her ability.”

As well as Alan, her family now consists of grandchildren Sean and Nick, great grandchildren Holly, Jessica and Bailey and niece Sally, who has been much closer to her than just a niece.

They all wish her a very happy birthday.