Great-great grandmother Elsie Paget survived rheumatic fever at the age of 19 to receive a telemessage from the Queen on her 100th birthday last Wednesday.
Mrs Paget, who has four sons, 14 grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren and one great-great grandchild, has no explanation for her longevity.
Now living at Southfields residential home in Devizes, Mrs Paget said: “There’s no history of it in our family. My mother died when she was 50. By rights, I shouldn’t be here today. I had rheumatic fever when I was 19 and I should have gone then.
“I have my good days and not-so-good days but in the main I feel all right. I never thought I would see my 100th birthday, though.”
Mrs Paget was born at Atworth, near Melksham, on October 26 1911, the sixth child of ten of Ernest and Edith Escott. Her twin sister and brother, 95, are still living but live too far away to have attended last week’s party.
The family moved to Seend in 1919 when Mr Escott took on New House Farm.
Mrs Paget attended Seend School where she learned to play the piano, which she continued to enjoy until just a few years ago.
When she left school at 13 she worked in the glove factory at Atworth before going into service in Bristol.
She became housekeeper/companion to a Miss Poole, where part of her duties included driving. She never passed a test as this was not required in those days.
In 1936 she married Donald Paget of Bromham and they were together for 63 years. Mr Paget passed away in 1999.
Her four sons, Clive, Peter, Ralph and Gordon, were all at her birthday party at Southfields last week among other members of her family. Sadly, her daughter, Mary, died in May.
Mrs Paget lived all her married life in Bromham, where her son Peter is chairman of the parish council.
She moved to Southfields 18 months ago and says she is very happy there.
Gazette and Herald - Saturday 5 November 2011