At
HC-One’s Newlands Care Home, in Heaton Moor, Stockport, a resident who turned 106 earlier in the year, talks about her fond memories and shares secret to a long life.
Dorothy Young was born on 27th May 1918 in Blennerhassett, Cumbria (previously known as Cumberland). Her mother, Annie was a proud housewife and father, John (also known as Jack) was a shoemaker.
Dorothy had one older brother John, who passed away at the age of 82, Dorothy commented:
“Longevity is not a gene in my family!”
The family moved to Ireby in the Lake District when she was four where she lived next door to the school so only had to hop skip and jump over the wall to get there.
Dorothy said:
“I loved school, and my favourite lessons were maths and geography, but I hated history – because the teacher was so boring!”
Dorothy joined the Women’s Institute at 15 years old and did lots of evening classes including leatherwork, painting plates, gardening, embroidery, and dressmaking. She was a housewife and later in life looked after her mother.
Every Saturday there was a dance, and Dorothy was an avid ballroom dancer, she said:
“My dad would always come over and stand in the doorway watching. Years later I realised he was checking up on me and making sure the boys behaved around me. I had a different boy walk me home every week till I started going steady with George.”
Dorothy later married George, who worked for the Ministry as a Test Pilot. He was her husband for 52 years. They had two daughters, Sheilah, and Ann, four grandchildren and six great grandchildren.
George and Dorothy continued ballroom dancing around the region and won a few dance competitions too.
Rachel Glindon, Wellbeing Coordinator at Newlands Care Home, said:
“Dorothy often talks about her love of being a mother and housewife, to this day you will always find her in the centre of a circle of children.”
During Dorothy’s birthday celebrations earlier in the year at Newlands residential and nursing care home, young children from Heatons at St Paul’s Nursery visited Dorothy and other residents for the birthday party.
Dorothy joked:
“I have told the children many times that I am starting to count again after the age of 100, so I am only 6. One of the children got me a spiderman card with a 6 badge on it for me which I thought was just splendid!”
All the children came with a card which they had handmade for Dorothy which she opened. The group had some cake and fruit together, then played musical statues.
When asked what her secret is to a long life, Dorothy commented:
“I have never smoked and never drank either.
“But I moved into my daughter Anne’s home, during covid, and my son-in-law insisted I have a glass of sherry with my evening meal. It is now a tradition which I have kept going - I prefer ‘Croft Original’ though.
“I have also surrounded myself with everything I love. I love kids, I could have had a dozen! I love seeing all the children that come to visit us at Newlands.”
Whilst living at Newlands in September 2024, a photograph of Dorothy and Wellbeing Coordinator Rachel was featured in a print issue of the Portrait of Humanity volume 6 book, which is about people who are over 100 years old.
Melissa Johnson, Home Manager at Newlands Care Home, said:
“It is an honour to have Dorothy living with us at Newlands. She has lived a very fascinating life, and we love hearing her stories.
“The local schoolchildren visit every Wednesday and its one of the highlights of the week for both Dorothy and the children.”