Testimonials

If you thought moving house was stressful, take a tip from 100-year-old Alice Austin. Stay calm and you'll be fine!

Mrs Austin took the extraordinary step of upping sticks on her 100th birthday to see her new McCarthy & Stone retirement apartment at Pinetree Court in Stevenage, where she will shortly be moving in with her daughter.

Four generations of the same family joined the spirited centenarian to celebrate her 100th birthday with her new neighbours at the retirement development in Danestrete.

Daughter Barbara - a mere 78 - said: "Mum is very adaptable. We get on well together and it's a lot to do with her. She is a very calm person, not at all worried about the move."

Alice was born in Cwmtillary, Aberystwyth, in 1906. Her father was a timberman in the mines, but later set himself up in business running a horse-drawn milk round and Alice would help him measure out the milk with half-pint dippers.

"Life has changed very much since then," said Alice reflecting on the last 100 years. "The pace is much faster now and people then were friendlier - you could just go out and leave your door unlocked without thinking about it."

"And families were much bigger too. I was the eighth of 11 children - you don't hear of families with that many these days."

The pair are looking forward to the improved security at Pinetree Court after they leave their present home, a three-bedroom house in Welwyn Garden City.

"The house has become quite difficult for us," said Barbara. "We have a chair lift but here everything will be on one level. It makes it that much easier for us."

Barbara believes her mother's active lifestyle is the secret of her longevity. " Hard work and fresh air have kept her well. She always enjoyed sewing and gardening, a real old-fashioned home maker. Mum has always been very lively and easily makes friends. Hard work and fresh air have kept her well. She always enjoyed sewing and gardening, a real old-fashioned home maker. Mum has always been very lively and easily makes friends."

In the 1930s she and late husband William would cycle 40 miles on a tandem from their home in Welwyn back to Slough to visit family and friends - a prospect few would relish today.

At 16 Alice moved to Sutton, Surrey, to go into service. Her younger sister Katherine followed her and there they met friends William Austin and Arthur Welfare, who they would respectively marry.

In 1927 Alice and William were married and they moved to Croydon and then Slough - however Alice returned to her mother in Aberystwyth to give birth to Barbara.

Alice worked in the Mars factory while William found work in Welwyn. Every week he would cycle to the garden city and lodge with his sister who lived there. Then in 1938 the family moved to Welwyn Garden City.

Alice worked in Kleeman plastic factory and then was a seamstress at Barclay Corsets. During the war William joined the London Fire Brigade and witnessed first hand some of the tragedies of the bombing raids.

Alice's birthday is not the first time she has received the traditional telegram from the Queen. The couple were also sent royal greetings on their diamond wedding anniversary in 1987. Alice's birthday is not the first time she has received the traditional telegram from the Queen. The couple were also sent royal greetings on their diamond wedding anniversary in 1987.

Alice was widowed in 1989 and Barbara's husband Dennis passed away in 1998. Neither of them is at all daunted by the prospect of moving in together again. In fact, they have been living together for the last six years and, remarkably before that, Alice lived on her own.

Once their home is sold Alice and Barbara will be move into the apartment they have reserved at Pinetree Court, where facilities are tailored to active older people.

Family present at the party were: Alice Austin, 100, daughter Barbara Pearce, 78, grandson Roy Pearce, 53, granddaughter Ann Rivett, 51, and grandchildren Jenny and Robert Rivett, 20 and 18 respectively.