AN ALERT and amusing 100-year-old is celebrating her milestone birthday today, Thursday.

Sylvia Cartledge (nee Holt), of Orford, has lived in Warrington all her life after being born on this day back in 1920.

A mother of seven and foster mother of one, grandmother of 16, great grandmother of 34 and great great grandmother of a growing number, she plans to spend her special day watching birds in her garden and reading romantic fiction.

She will also be enjoying visits from family members who form part of her support bubble.

The eldest of nine children to Arthur and Florence Holt from Lymm, she lived with her parents and siblings on Rushgreen Road until marrying master butcher Harold Cartledge in April 1940.

Sylvia and Harold continued to live together in Lymm until Harold was called up for war service.

During this period, Sylvia moved to Catherine Street and Pierpoint Street in Bewsey, where she was reunited with her husband after the war.

They later moved to Dallam when Pierpoint Street was earmarked for demolition, and from there in 1989 to the house where she still lives today in Orford.

Over this time, Sylvia and Harold had seven children and also fostered a daughter.

Harold passed away in 1997 and their three surviving children – Rosanna, Kathleen, and Sydney – all live in Warrington, while her foster daughter Florence lives in Liverpool.

According to Kathleen, Sylvia was very much a stay at home mother looking after her husband and children, and all their pleasures were simple ones.

Holidays were normally taken in north Wales visiting castles and nearby seaside locations, and the furthest she has ever travelled was on a single occasion to London and once to Edinburgh.

Almost unheard of in this day and age but Sylvia has never travelled abroad by plane.

She continues to live in her own home with the help of her daughters and regular visits by carers.

A dedicated member of the Jehovah’s Witnesses since 1946, Sylvia is still remembered at services she is no longer able to attend, and before the pandemic welcomed many of her witness friends to spend time with her in her home.

Kathleen added: “Sylvia is still an alert and amusing character to this day, and can still share a laugh and a giggle with her friends and family.

“From the whole family, we all wish her a very happy 100th birthday.”