A FORMER sub-postmistress celebrated her 100th birthday with family and friends at Ridge House Residential Home, Morchard Bishop on Tuesday, August 13.

Elsie Meekings was sub-postmistress at Ide, near Exeter, from 1972 to 1980, then retired and continued to live in the village until moving to Ridge House three years ago.

Prior to moving to Ide, she ran a Post Office in the Old Kent Road in London.

Elsie was born in West Hartlepool nine months after Armistice Day and grew up in Lowestoft.

Elsie (nee Dye) was marred to Arthur Meekings in Southall, London, in 1945 and they had two children, Brian and Brenda.

Arthur sadly died in 1978.

Elsie is fortunate to have seven grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren, one living in America and others in the North of England and in Devon.

Keeping fit and active, in the past Elsie enjoyed long walks, of several miles, and while at Ide was president of the branch of the Women’s Institute.

She previously represented the WI in the South West in ballroom dancing competitions and also represented the South West WI in Scrabble competitions.

Elsie enjoys completing a crossword a day, and says she enjoys a glass of sherry each day.

While at Ide she was treasurer of the local branch of the Conservative party.

During the Second World War she volunteered at a hospital on ambulances and after the War she worked at Bletchley Park, not as a codebreaker but as a training organiser.

Elsie said she greatly enjoys living at Ridge House and thanked the home for organising her birthday tea, complete with a cake and a glass of bubbly.