The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Spalding woman Jean Cowles spent her 100th birthday surrounded by family and friends.
With boundless energy Jean worked the room, going from table to table, talking to the 220 friends and family in attendance at Springfields Exhibition Centre.
She could be found by listening out for her distinctive and regular laugh. To say Jean is energetic is an understatement.
Jean is in the Guinness World Records as the oldest living member of a bowls team. “I joined the bowling club about 40 years ago, when I was 60,” Jean said.
In Jean’s presence it’s easy to forget her age. While she gave up playing for the team a few years ago, Jean still visits the club socially and welcomed friends from the club on her birthday. “I’m never lonely,” she said of her active social life.
Jean is still physically active, too. She gave up yoga in her mid-nineties but still does her daily exercises.
Four generations of the Cowles family were in attendance, with her great-granddaughter Ariadne wishing happy birthday to Jean, 95 years her senior.
Jean’s granddaughter Vicky is a musician who lives in London and she performed on saxophone at the party.
Jean’s son Trefor travelled from Thailand for the celebrations and her daughter Hilary travelled from Cheltenham.
Jean’s son Barry died five years ago and her husband, a former headmaster at Gosberton Clough school, died 22 years ago.
Jean was born in Moulton, lived in Weston and joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service in 1939 at the start of the Second World War.
“War was declared on September the third, I was there on the fourth,” Jean said.
“I was a lance corporal but people round here thought I was a lieutenant colonel,” Jean added.
Growing up, Jean didn’t have an 18th birthday celebration. “When you were 14 you were an adult. The teenager hadn’t been invented,” she said.
Jean says she only feels her age when she can’t manage cleaning windows or gardening.
“I eat well. I have a glass of sherry every day and I always have a glass of red wine with a meal,” Jean said, although she only started this recently.
Celebrations continued on Monday when South Lincolnshire Blind Society – which is also celebrating its 100th birthday – threw a surprise joint birthday party for both events.
