GOALDEN GIRL; Aston Villa and Bristol Cream keep Hilda going strong at 100.Byline: REBEKAH ORUYE FOOTBALL fans come in all shapes and sizes, but at under five feet tall and celebrating her 100th birthday on Tuesday, Hilda Horsley is surely one of a kind. The lifelong Aston Villa supporter was born in Birmingham on August 11, 1909, and the well-travelled centenarian puts her longevity down to her biggest passions in life - her family and her claret and blue heroes. Her favourite player of all time was 1982 European Cup goal scorer Peter Withe withe n. A tough supple twig, especially of willow, used for binding things together; a withy. [Middle English, from Old English withthe; see wei- in Indo-European roots. , who later became a family friend, joining them for dinner or to have his hair cut by Hilda's hairdresser niece Sue. Hilda enjoys following the Villa in the Sunday Mercury Sunday Mercury is a Sunday newspaper published in Birmingham, UK. A tabloid, with a sensationalist streak, it is owned by Trinity Mirror and produced in the same newsroom as The Birmingham Post and The Evening Mail. References 1. , which she has been reading for the past 40 years, and she also enjoys a tot or two of Bristol Cream Harveys' Bristol Cream is a leading Spanish sherry, which has been imported into and bottled in Bristol, England since 1796 by Harveys of Bristol. Contrary to popular belief, Cream Sherry is so called not because of any dairy ingredients. Sherry every night. Now Aston Villa have offered the birthday girl a treat to mark her momentous day. A club spokesman said: "We would like to wish Hilda many congratulations on reaching her 100th birthday and extend an invitation for her and a guest to attend a game this season." And makers of her Hilda Horsley their day favourite tipple, Hanley's, have agreed to send her a special reserve Bristol Cream with a glass engraved en·grave tr.v. en·graved, en·grav·ing, en·graves 1. To carve, cut, or etch into a material: engraved the champion's name on the trophy. 2. with her name. Hilda has already enjoyed one party attended by her family, including seven grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren - some of them travelling from Australia. Sadly, one of Hilda's earliest memories was when she was just five-years-old and the news that her father had been killed in the First World War. Her mother Rachel, was wed again in 1926 to a man named Jack Slater and the family, including her younger brother and two sisters, set up their home in Henley-in-Arden, Warwickshire. As a 17-year-old Hilda nearly lost her leg in a devastating dev·as·tate tr.v. dev·as·tat·ed, dev·as·tat·ing, dev·as·tates 1. To lay waste; destroy. 2. To overwhelm; confound; stun: was devastated by the rude remark. motorbike accident and had to spend five months in hospital recovering from the smash. She said: "I was coming down the road on the back of a friend's bike when another motorbike came out of nowhere and knocked us off. "My friend lost a finger and I had a gaping wound in my leg. Luckily a passing doctor poured peroxide into it so it did not have to be cut off. "I remember celebrating my 18th birthday in hospital strung up on a block and beam." It was while she was recovering that Hilda realised how much of an impression she had made on her husband-to-be Jim Horsley. "When I had the accident the men at work had taken a collection and raised pounds 10. Jim had written in a note 'please God send her back to me'." Jion wedding 1930 Romance blossomed and the couple married in 1930 and had four kids, John, Pat, Roy and David. They moved into the house at the Gas works a manufactory of gas, with all the machinery and appurtenances; a place where gas is generated for lighting cities. - Raymond. See also: Gas in Beaudesert Lane, Henley, where Jim worked as a one man operator. During the war years, Hilda did her piece for homeland protection, looking out for low flying German bombers while Jim recharged the coal ovens to produce the gas. One of Hilda's jobs was working as an early morning postwoman. She cycled 14 miles a day to Preston Bagot, Rowington and back to Henley - for pounds 2 a week. In 1968 Hilda and Jim moved to Station Road, Wythall, to be with her daughter, Pat, and son-inlaw, Ron O'Donnell, to help look after their children. Over the years, She played an active role in her local communi-ty, setting up a Brownie group, making cakes for the cricket club and running a bingo session at Henley Sports and Social Club to raise money for the playing field funds. She was also a Parish Councillor for a few years. Hilda has travelled to Australia five times to visit her youngest son David, her last visit was when she was 94 years-old. She said:"I haven't had a hectic life. The love of my family keep me going. I like nothing more than getting a hug and kiss from grand kids and great grand kids." On turning 100 she added: "It's a big age to get to! I really don't feel that old and when I see older people moaning about life I always hope I don't sound like they do." Hilda's family is holding a BBQ BBQ barbecue on Tuesday to mark her birthday. Instead of presents, she requested donations could be made to Macmillian nurses. CAPTION(S): WELL TRAVELLED: Hilda as a teenager in the sidecar 1. sidecar - Synonym slap on the side. Especially used of add-ons for the late and unlamented IBM PCjr. 2. sidecar - The IBM PC compatibility box that could be bolted onto the side of an Amiga. of a motorbike ADVENTUROUS: Hilda, in white dress, centre, with Girl Guides in Henley-in-Arden Hilda Horsley who will be celebrating her 100th birthday on Tuesday JP070809Cent-01 Hilda and Jim Horsley on their wedding day in 1930 |
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