Coventry Women’s Celebration marks 105 years

Life is another stitch for a knitting fan who celebrated her 105th birthday. Helena Morris, known as Nellie, marks the occasion with family and friends at Spinney Care Home, in Coventry, today, Monday, May 6.

She received a telegram from King Charles, to go with the one sent to her on Queen Elizabeth’s 100th birthday. And Nellie says her love of knitting is the secret to her long life.

Dee Tyler, her son Ken’s partner, said: “Nellie attributes her long life to hard work, honesty, healthy living and most of all her knitting. It keeps her busy and her hands moving, she never had arthritis.

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“She definitely believes you should be busy and doesn’t believe in sitting down. She can still go short distances without a frame.”

Nellie, the only surviving sibling of seven children, was born in Honeybourne, Gloucestershire, in 1919 but moved to Coventry as a toddler. She attended Ash Green School, leaving at the age of 14, and her first job was as a machinist at the Pool Lorimer & Taberer hosiery factory on Lockhurst Lane.

This is where she met her husband Loo, a maintenance man who drives her to and from work on her bicycle. The couple shared the same birthday and would exchange letters while he served in Egypt during the Second World War, before marrying at St Thomas’ Church, Tamworth Road, in December 1945.

Together they had a son. Before becoming a mother, Nellie had also worked at Jaguar Cars, first in the payroll department and then as a supervisor.

Sadly, Loo died about 20 years ago after almost 60 years of marriage. Dee added: “She remained living independently at home for a further ten years until her sight began to fail.

“Nellie has been well cared for at Spinney Care Home, she keeps the staff on their toes as she still thinks she’s in surveillance mode. She’s still on the ball, there’s no way anyone can turn her down.”

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