A FORMER Women's Institute member has celebrated her 100th birthday – with visits from old friends from New Waltham.
Hilda Pimlott, who lived in the village for 20 years, puts her long life down to eating good food with plenty of vegetables.
Hilda lived at her home in New Waltham before moving to Abbeyfield Residential Home, Pelham Road, Grimsby, 18 months ago.
Since then, she has settled in so well there, that instead of birthday presents, she asked for donations towards the home.
She said: "Staff here are wonderful. I am so happy."
Born in Grimsby in 1912, the cheerful 100-year-old was one of nine children – but is the only one of her siblings still alive.
After attending Garden Street School, in Wellowgate, she began her first job as a secretary at Grimsby Town Football Club.
While there, she met the manager of the former Royal Hotel who offered her a job as a receptionist.
She eventually moved on to become the receptionist at the current Yarborough Hotel, in Bethlehem Street, Grimsby, before venturing into her own business in 1936.
Hilda said: "Together with my brother, we moved down to Devon and decided to run our own pub.
"It was here I met my first husband, Henry O'Rorke, who was an officer in the Navy. We married in Devon in 1945 and lived down south for a while until we moved to Liverpool.
"I took on various jobs there and Henry worked as a ship builder."
Unfortunately, Henry died aged 59, but love was not far around the corner for Hilda.
Henry's friend, George Pimlott, comforted her through the hard time and their friendship soon developed into something more.
In 1971 she re-married and she and George moved to Grimsby and then New Waltham.
The pair never had any children, so their time was devoted to each other and their hobbies.
New Waltham Women's Institute was Hilda's favourite pastime.
She said: "I just enjoyed the social life of it all, meeting new people and having a good chat when we all met up.
"I attended a lot of the meetings and tried to be as involved as possible.
"Some of the women who I used to attend with came to see me on my birthday."
The centenarian, who is now a widow, enjoyed a party at Abbeyfield Residential Home surrounded by family, friends and staff to celebrate her milestone birthday. Blown away by it all, Hilda said: "I am surprised so many people care or even remember.
"It is wonderful to see everyone, but I feel frightened more than anything to have turned 100.
"I am the only one in my family to have reached this age and out of my eight siblings, only two of us reached the age of 80.
"I have enjoyed my life and have done what I wanted to do. I do not go out anymore, but my family visit me regularly to keep me company.
"We shall have to wait and see if I live to 101."
Vera Power, 53, Hilda's niece, said: "She is the only person I know to have lived to 100 years old.
"The amazing thing is she does not look or act like it. We visit her often but she still does all her own washing and will not let us help.
"She loves being independent and says she will do things herself until it is no longer possible.
"I think the biggest thing keeping her going is her mind, she stays mentally active with word searches, reading and socialising.
"My auntie deserves a good party as so many people know and care about her."
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