'Lovely and kind' great great grandmother is 100 today

Jean Fenner, a resident at St Katherine Care Home in Bitterne Park, will mark the occasion by opening her card from The King before 100 cupcakes arrive in time for a big family party at the weekend.

Jean, who lived in St Mary's and Portswood for many years, will be joined by daughter Jean, grandchildren Stuart, Lianne, David, Joanne, Ricky and Kieran, great grandchildren Jay, Ben, Millie, Bradley, Lauren, Poppy, Bonnie, Sydney, Mason, Brody and Morgan, and great great grandson Jasper, aged two, for the celebrations. 

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Originally from Kent, Jean worked on the fields farming potatoes during wartime. 

She then lived in Bournemouth before late husband Roy's job as a bus driver brought the family to Southampton.

Jean had a cleaning job at The Docks for many years and later volunteered in the League of Friends shop at The Royal South Hants Hospital. 

Jean, who enjoys a packet of crisps and a Pepsi Max or a cup of tea with sugar as a treat, loved the garden and enjoyed painting birds and flowers in watercolours.

Granddaughter Lianne Tudor told the Daily Echo: "She's amazing. She's been like my mum for many years.

"She's just absolutely lovely and so kind. She's always liked the simple things in life and never wanted much, she's always been grateful for what she's got.

"Despite having dementia, she's still so happy.

"She's always said just keep on walking, and it's worked for her. Her tips are to keep on walking and look after your eyes."

Jean was born on April 18, 1924 when George V was on the throne. There were three Prime Ministers that year - Stanley Baldwin, Ramsay MacDonald and then Stanley Baldwin again. 

John Logie Baird, working in Hastings, sent rudimentary television pictures over a short distance, Margaret Bondfield became the first woman to be appointed a government minister and British submarine HMS L24 sank in a collision in the English Channel, with 43 deaths. 

A pint of beer cost five pence in 1924 - the modern equivalent of about 73p. The average male weekly wage was about £5, roughly £103 nowadays, and a pint of milk cost three pence (44p).