Queen Elizabeth Court resident celebrates remarkable 102nd birthday

Above: (Left) Resident Mary celebrating her 102^nd birthday with Activities Coordinator Rachael. (Right) Mary is delighted to meet Sparkles, a Shetland pony at Home.

A resident at Queen Elizabeth Court, in Llandudno, has marked an incredible milestone as she celebrated her 102nd birthday surrounded by friends and staff.

Mary Williams enjoyed a wonderful birthday party at the Home, where everyone came together to make the occasion truly special. The celebrations included delicious cakes for all, plenty of laughter, and a warm, joyful atmosphere shared among residents and team members.

Staff at Queen Elizabeth Court were delighted to honour Mary’s remarkable achievement, ensuring her day was filled with happiness and memorable moments.

Early life

Mary was born in 1924 in Surbiton, London. Her father worked in central London as a private secretary, and had offices at 4 Buckingham Gate, directly opposite Buckingham Palace. Mary remembers playing in the gardens around the area. Her grandparents owned a factory making fireworks and invented the first blue firework.

During WWII, she worked as an engineer on Spitfires and Hurricane fighter aircrafts. She says:

My role during the war was very rewarding, but it was also a terrible time. I felt valued as a female engineer, but horrified by the war itself.

Mary (bottom left) repairing a fighter aircraft in the Royal Air Forces during WWII.

Mary met her husband John in the RAF during this time. Her husband had a family home in North Wales, and moved there with him after the war. This began a long connection with the area and Welsh life. She mentions her initial experience of Wales was not for the faint hearted as she moved into a home with no plumbing and was expected to carry water from a well outside.

Mary and John married in 1946 at St. Benedict’s Church in Gyffin, Conwy. Together, they had two children, and three grandchildren.

After settling in Wales, Mary joined the local Women’s Institute and was the secretary for many years. This led to her meeting the Prince of Wales. Mary mentions meeting Prince Charles at the time was ‘thrilling’ and that he showed genuine concern and interest in the subjects they discussed.

In 2010, Mary published her book ‘A Cluster of Feathers’, a personal memoir, detailing her time during WWII as well as covering 150 years of her family history.

Life at the Home

Mary has lived at Queen Elizabeth Court for over six years. Here she enjoys the newspapers chat group where she and other residents talk about current affairs; exploring new places using Google Earth, and playing scrabble.

When asked if she had any advice to share with the younger generations, Mary says:

To try your best at all times.

[Summary: Mary Williams, a resident at Queen Elizabeth Court, in Llandudno, celebrated her 102nd birthday surrounded by friends and staff.]