Family’s love helps Litlehampton’s Margaret reach a century

Margaret Griffin celebrated her 100th birthday with her family and town mayor Emma Neno at the St Winefride’s Residential Home, in St Winefride’s Road, where she has been a resident for the past three years.

But as her devoted daughter Rita Charlwood, of Grove Crescent, Littlehampton, said, the support of a large extended family played a key role in helping Margaret to reach the impressive milestone.

“Mum has always been a very private person, she overcame the difficulties and sadness she faced and moved on.

“She had a wonderful time on her birthday. I really don’t think she was expecting it all, so she was very taken aback,” said Rita.

Margaret was born in Tottenham, north London, on February 17, 1913. She left school at the age of 14 to work at the Maynards sweets factory.

The job was made all the sweeter when she met her husband-to-be Herbert Smith. They soon married, in 1936, before moving to Dorking, Surrey.

The couple raised their children, Rita and Ron until Herbert died suddenly, in 1966, aged 58.

Rita said her mother was heartbroken following her husband’s death but soon found love with her second husband, Jack, in the 1970s. They married in 1973, staying together for 20 years until his death in 1993.

“It was good to see mum happy again,” added Rita. “We all got on well with Jack and him and mum enjoyed growing old together.”

Margaret has two children, eight grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren and three great-great-granchildren.

Her family is spread out across the UK and as far away as Spain and Sweden.