Friends plan special celebration for Knutsford resident's 103rd birthday

Margaret lives at the Mere Court retirement apartments, and will be 103 on Saturday, May 9.

At midday Susie Mathis and fellow Mere Court residents will stand outside Margaret’s apartment and sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to her, holding 103 balloons, which they will not be releasing,

Margaret will be called by her daughter in Spain just before to ask her to go to the window to look out, and the residents will be observing social distancing guidelines.

Pictured below are Margaret and her late husband, and Margaret in her younger days

Susie said: “Margaret has been in lockdown for many weeks, and like many people is missing her family.

“At the incredible age of 103 she thoroughly deserves special attention, and we need to celebrate somehow whilst social distancing.

“We are hoping to make the family and friends of a truly wonderful lady very happy by marking the special occasion of this amazing person’s birthday.

“It will cheer so many and give such hope in these unprecedented times.

“Margaret is a beautiful lady, who is well loved at Mere Court. She is happy to discuss politics and all sorts as she is so well informed and interested in everything.”

Margaret was born in Edinburgh, and moved with her parents to Darlington when she was three or four.

She was married in September 1939 to James Watson and they moved into their own home in Redcar.

War had just been declared, and James joined the RAF.

After training he was posted on a troop ship to Burma in 1941, where he remained until May 1945.

Margaret moved in with her parents in Darlington, from where she travelled to work in Middlesbrough daily. She survived many bombing scares while on the train.

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Margaret’s husband died in 1987, the couple had three children, Nigel, Christine, and Shirley, who died in 2010, and Margaret has travelled to visit her family in Italy, Spain and Norway.