An “amazing” care home resident, who weighed just three pounds at birth and was a “miracle baby”, has celebrated her 100th birthday surrounded by her large and close-knit family.
Born on 19th August 1924 Eva Bloor, from Biddulph, raised six children and during the wartime black-outs took the bus to work accompanied by her two sisters to one of the most “dangerous” munition factories in Staffordshire, Swynnerton Royal Ordinance, where bomb and shell-casings were filled with “highly combustible” materials.
“It was a dangerous place to work – they could get their fingers blown off!” said eldest daughter Irene Wheelhouse (76).
When she was born the centenarian was given special care from medical staff.
Mrs Bloor’s son Alan, who was at Park Lane Care Home in Knypersley to celebrate his mum’s milestone birthday last Monday, explained: “There were no incubators back then, so the doctors used to go in and put a mirror by her face to ensure she was still breathing. And even though she was tiny she survived; she is a strong lady.”
Mr Bloor, who worked at the “Chronicle” for 49 years as a compositor, said: “I think it’s incredible that she has lived this long, she’s endured the war and raised a large family!”
Mrs Wheelhouse said the children credited their mum’s youthful and “lovely” skin to being bathed in oil with cotton wool when she was first born.
“Because they didn’t bathe her for a long time, they just wiped her over with olive oil,” she said.
‘Fantastic’
On overhearing this anecdote from her eldest daughter, a memory appeared to spark within Mrs Bloor who, while sat in her chair, began gently stroking her own face, which lead to roars of laughter from her family, who said although she had dementia and “can’t always spit out what she wants to say”, was “fantastic”.
Mrs Bloor wore a silver tiara and a set of white freshwater pearls around her neck to mark the momentous occasion, a gift set sent from one of her 12 grandchildren Emma Ellis, (47). She was also treated to a birthday visit from Biddulph mayor Coun Nigel Yates.
The care home lounge was decked out in sparkly balloons and banners, staff prepared a spread of sandwiches and cakes, and youngest daughter Sarah Jaroszek, (60), showed the “Chronicle” an image on her phone of a colourful cake, which the family had specially made.
More than 30 cards were delivered to Mrs Bloor, including one from King Charles and Queen Camilla.
Mrs Wheelhouse said: “The card today is my mum’s fourth telegram from the Monarch! She had a telegram from the Queen when her and my dad were married for 60, 65 and 70 years.”
Reflecting on how their mother and late father, Ted Bloor, first met Mrs Wheelhouse said the-then Miss Gibson clocked eyes with her future husband on the Biddulph “monkey run,” to which her relatives erupted into hysterics once more.
“All the old people in the town know what it is, sounds a bit dodgy doesn’t it?” she chuckled.
(The monkey run was an evening walk by groups of young people, often along established routes, to find a boyfriend or girlfriend as the opposing genders met. “All the fellas used to wolf whistle at the girls,” said Mrs Bloor’s son-in-law Steven Wheelhouse (75).
The couple remained happily married for more than seven decades and lived together until Mr Bloor, who was in the navy and later worked as a miner and wagon driver, died seven years ago.
When the “Chronicle” asked what the secret of their lengthy union was daughter Mrs Jukes said: “My mum always said to never go to the bed on an argument.”
Said Mrs Wheelhouse: “They just mucked in together and always got on, they had their ups, downs and struggles, but they always pulled together. Mum and dad taught us right from wrong.”
The two daughters said they had taken their parents’ wisdom into their own marriages of 51 and 55 years.
Describing his mother-in-law Mr Wheelhouse said she was a “40-carat diamond,” and his eyes welled up with tears when he recalled being “welcomed” into the family over 50 years ago with bread toasted on the fire for him by his father-in-law and “chip butties” made by Mrs Bloor.
“I used to come home from leave from the navy on a Friday and go down to the Top House in Biddulph to meet Ted. And there would always be a pint waiting for me on the bar. I’ve got fond memories; it was happy days,” he said.
Englebert
Blasting out on the stereo behind the 100-year-old’s chair was Engelbert Humperdinck who the family said was one of her favourite artists, together with Norman Wisdom, George Formby, Jim Reeves and Dutch violinist and conductor Andre Rieu.
Park Lane deputy manager Michelle Steppe said singing was a favourite of the centenarian.
Ms Steppe pays the “loveable” Mrs Bloor a visit each day on the second floor and said that despite her dementia the great-grandmother can reel off the lyrics to wartime classic “We’ll Meet Again” by Dame Vera Lynn.
“She loves music and when we have entertainment in, depending on the sort of day she’s having, her arms will be going and she’ll be singing and dancing.”
Recalling their most treasured memories of their much-loved mum her children said they remembered food cooked and baked from scratch like apple pies, rice pudding and meat and potato pies, and returning home from school to a kitchen floor jam-packed with mounds of washing, all done by hand by their mother with a mangle and dolly tub.
“She worked damn hard,” said Mrs Wheelhouse, and Mrs Jaroszek agreed: ““It was non-stop for her,” she said.
The siblings giggled when they recalled their mum, who never smoked, hardly drank alcohol and was “very healthy,” getting drunk after one too many Pernods at an engagement party.
And when reminiscing about her younger years, Mr Bloor said she “hated the very sound of the word school,” and purposely arrived at the school gates late when they were locked shut so she could go back home and spend the day helping her mum, whom she adored.
“The only thing she liked about school was netball and games.”
Said Mrs Wheelhouse: “We’re all blessed, my mum has always been caring; as well as looking after neighbours she used to light a fire for the lady that lived across the road every morning. She’d do anything for anyone, and I do hope we’ve all inherited her goodwill.”
She added: “When Sarah, the youngest child, went to school she went working as a home help in Biddulph cleaning and sorting old people out and now she’s one of them,” she laughed.
Grandchildren Ryan, (18), Liam, (16), and Nicole, (14), Campbell, (18), sat at their grandma’s feet and said it was “amazing” to see their grandma live to be 100.
Said Mrs Jukes: “My mum always said she wanted to live to be 100” and Mr Bloor added: “A couple of months ago she was ill with a chest infection. We were wondering whether she’d get to this day, but she’s gone and done it.”
