Littlehampton’s Rita is feeling 100 years young

But that is exactly what has happened to Littlehampton’s latest centenarian, who celebrated her milestone birthday on Saturday (June 23).

Former nurse Gladys – known as Rita – adopted the name after a nervous slip of the tongue when she met her husband-to-be, John, at a night club in Croydon.

Rita’s son, Bob, said: “It’s incredible to think that at 100, people are still calling her Rita. It’s just a name that seems to have stuck with her.”

She was born in Blaydon, near Newcastle, on June 23, 1912, and has lived through two world wars, seen man land on the moon and witnessed the reigns of four different monarchs.

In her 20s, she became a nurse at a hospital in Glasgow, before moving down to London during the late 1930s, where she met her first husband, Fred Hornsey.

The couple married at Caxton Hall, in Westminster, and had their first child, Bob, shortly after, in 1939.

Fred’s job as a chartered account saw the family travel across the country, during the war.

However, in 1947, Rita divorced him and moved to Croydon, where she met her second husband, John Aubrey.

They were together for 37 years, until his death in 1984.

They moved to Felpham, in the early 1970s and then, a few years later, to their Rustington home, in Marama Gardens, where Rita stayed until she moved into the Summerlea House Nursing Home, in East Street, Littlehampton, two years ago.

On Saturday, she received a letter from the Queen to congratulate her on reaching her 100th birthday.

Rita also enjoyed tucking into a specially-baked cake with family and friends, during a party at the home.

Bob said: “She is a great mum and I love her to bits. She is a very bubbly, warm and friendly person. The sort of person that can get on with anyone.”

Rita has a grand-daughter, Sharon, and four step-grandchildren.