Twice the celebrations as twins reach a century together
Bill and his twin brother Jack celebrated their 100th birthday together at Williams Place, Bill’s McCarthy Stone Retirement Living Plus community in Didcot. They were also joined by family, friends and neighbours for a party in the communal lounge, where they shared cake, drinks and memories.
On reaching his centennial, Bill cheekily announced: “I always intended to reach 100 and now it’s here, I’m looking forward to the next 100!”
Bill’s busy life in engineering
He worked in the motor trade for several years, obtaining an engineering qualification, before he and his brother joined the army in 1945 as members of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. They spent 15 months in Malaysia, with Bill confessing they “got up to lots of tricks being identical twins!”
Bill met his future wife, Joan, at Butlins near Pwllheli in Wales in 1951, and they married in in Cirencester in 1953 before welcoming their son, Martin, in 1955. Bill and Joan settled in Sutton, Surrey, where Bill worked as a skills and training instructor for the Government. He became a qualified member of the Institute of Training Officers before retiring as a manager in 1984.
Bill enjoys retirement hobbies from his McCarthy Stone apartment
These days, Bill enjoys a more artistic life, having taken up painting in retirement. He also does 20 minutes of exercise daily. He credits living at Williams Place with providing “a good balance between being independent and having support when needed.”
His secret for a long life is “clean and healthy living, staying active, sheer determination and good genes” which the twins clearly have in spades. He adds as word of advice, “Have an interest in sport – particularly cricket!”
Estate Manager, Nina says, “Bill is a such a warm and friendly member of our lovely community, having lived here for five years. He’s got a great sense of humour and loves having a laugh with the team and his neighbours.”
Find an active community near you
From independent living retirement property for over 60s, to assisted living at our Retirement Living PLUS apartments, our lovely properties in stunning locations are thoughtfully designed so you can make the most of your retirement whether you’re just over 60 or heading for 100 – and you’ll have a lively community of new neighbours on the doorstep too.
Learn more our retirement homes near you, call our friendly team on 0800 201 4811 or contact us online for more information.
