Elsie celebrates 100th birthday in same house she was born in

Centenerian Elsie Allcock was born on June 28 1918 as the First World War drew to a close.

Still sharp as a button she can remember a lifetime of changes many of us would find difficult to imagine.

She said: “I was born in this house on Barker Street. I was the youngest of five children, four girls and one boy.

“My mother and father came to live here in the year 1900 when my sister Emma was two years old.

“She was born in Market Street in 1900 but the houses have all gone - all pulled down

“My father was a coal miner and he worked at Blackwell Colliery. My mother was a hard working woman. She did washing five days a week for us and other people. She had no washing machine in those days just a tub and a ponch and a copper to boil clothes in. It was very hard work.

“My sister Mary and I would take the baskets of washing back to the customers all ironed And ready to wear. All for half a Crown - that is two shillings and sixpence.”

When I was eight years old in 1926 the coal miners were on strike and the men were of work for weeks, with no money coming in.

In those days you had to have coal to get hot water (no electricity) only gaslight or paraffin lamps

We had to put pennies in the gas meter . Weeks went by. No work. No money. No coal so we went coke picking on the Council tip.

When she left school at the age of 14 she stayed at home to look after the family when her mum died .

She married in 1941 to Bill Allcock from Hilcote in Derbyshire. Elsie and Bill had two boys Keith and Raymond six grandchildren and 36 great grandchildren.

Bill died in 1995 after they had 55 years of happy marriage. On June 23 a big party for family and friends was held at the Polly Bowls Club. Sprightly Elsies hobbies are gardening and knitting.