Piano-loving Vera Jackson may have just turned 103-years-old - but that doesn’t stop her from still tickling the ivories to Blaydon Races.
Vera, who is from Kimblesworth, County Durham, but who now lives at the Ventress Hall Care Home in Darlington, celebrated a huge birthday milestone alongside fellow residents on Wednesday (November 27)
And the great-great-great-grandmother says no drinking, smoking, and gambling - plus “leading a good Christian life and loving everyone” - are the secrets to becoming a centenarian.
Vera was born in Kimblesworth, the eldest of eight children from her parents Edith and Tommy Punton. All of her brothers and sisters have sadly since passed away other than her younger sister Edith, who is now 85-years-old.
She went on to have three of her own children - Gladys, now 81, Marjorie, 62, and Tom, who sadly died in 2015 - and now has 11 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren, 23 great-great-grandchildren, and one great-great-great-grandchild.
She was brought up by her grandparents - and moved out nine years after getting married to husband Thomas William Jackson, who sadly died in 2000.
Piano has been a feature in Vera’s life since she was just six-years-old, when she had her first ever lesson.
She said: “A young woman came and she gave me some theory to do, but I didn’t know what it was at the time.
“She said to do what I can. She came in with a pencil and hit me over my knuckles with it… I had one day with her and then I sacked her! I taught myself, and I still play now.”
It was an “instant attraction” when Vera met Thomas, who she bumped into after going out in Durham. She was only in the city after standing in for her cousin at a cleaning job.
Vera - who has also been a member of the Salvation Army since the 1960s - said: “I went out in Durham city - I was 15-years-old - and I just knew then that he was for me.
“I told my grandmother that I had met this lad - she said let’s bring him here and have a look at him!”
Thomas served in the Second World War - and there was even a time when she received a letter saying he was “missing and presumed dead”.
But thankfully, her “wonderful” husband came back from the war in a hospital boat and was discharged, and they went on to have many more happy years together.
While Thomas was away, Vera worked in the Colliery canteen, and also took on cleaning jobs, before starting work at the Chester-le-Street Hospital as she didn’t want to work in the forces.
Her daughter Marjorie couldn’t speak more highly of Vera’s generosity, recalling how she even took in a student from Edinburgh in the 1960s.
She said: “He came knocking and asking if anyone was taking in any lodgers, and she said she didn’t know. She shut the door and came in - and then decided to run after him.
“She told him he can stay here a couple of nights till he gets sorted. They still keep in touch - he’s now 84-years-old and brought his wife down to meet her!”
Later in life and before retiring, Vera took over as the warden of a sheltered housing scheme Pembroke Court, in Darlington.
She added: “I went there and had about 40-odd people - and there was only me working and looking after them all. They all loved me!”
She remained there until retiring at 1986, and then moved into Branksome Hall - where she was once the longest-staying resident before moving to Ventress Hall in 2023.
Health and fitness were also key for Vera, with the grandmother using a pedal bike on her bed to keep fit and doing exercises every morning.
Sadly, she broke her hip just one week before she turned 100 - but because she was so fit, she was able to have a full hip replacement and was out of hospital in time to celebrate.
Speaking about Vera, Marjorie said: “Vera is just amazing. She is really inspirational. She has always been kind, and always thought about everybody else.”
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