An Alderley Edge resident was joined by her family, friends and neighbours this weekend to celebrate her 100th birthday.
Fran Lenihan turned 100 on Thursday, 22nd September, and marked the occasion with a small birthday celebration at the De Trafford Arms on Saturday, 24th September.
The gathering was organised by her two sons who explained their mother didn't "want a fuss" so the party was kept low-key.
Fran was born and brought-up in Manchester and on leaving school at 14 years of age, trained as a seamstress.
She married William (Bill) in 1939 and they spent virtually all of their married life in Chorlton-cum-Hardy in South Manchester. They had two sons, Peter in 1942 and Michael in 1945.
Fran helped the war effort and, while working at the Ford Factory in Trafford Park, was filmed making components for Rolls Royce Merlin aircraft engines for a war-time information/propaganda film.
She made it her full-time occupation to care for her home and family, which included her mother. She took great pride in her home and the garden and was constantly decorating and redecorating, planting and replanting.
Bill and Fran achieved a number of firsts; the first family in the area to have a television, to have a car and to fly to the Isle of Man on holiday from Ringway Airport.
The television proved to be of great value for the Coronation in 1953, with neighbours packed into the lounge to see the event, where tea and cakes - although it was standing room.
Peter and his wife presented her with two grandchildren, Amanda and Christopher, and Christopher has provided two great grandsons, Sam and Alex. Unfortunately, Christopher and his family live in Cape Town so Fran has not seen Sam and Alex for a number of years.
Following Bill's retirement in 1976, in 1980 they decided to move to Alderley Edge. Unfortunately, Bill died shortly after they had settled into their new home.
Although they had been married for over 40 years, Fran refused to let Bill's untimely death prevent her from taking advantage of the opportunities that life offered.
No longer having access to a car, she frequently took the train or bus to go shopping in Manchester, Altringham and Macclesfield. She was able to spend time with Michael when he lived in Hong Kong and visited South Africa when her grandson, Christopher, was married there.
She was able to put her early training as a seamstress to good use as she readily took to knitting semi-professionally for a shop in Alderley Edge. Many residents may well still have garments in their wardrobe with a "Hand Knitted by Fran Lenihan" label.
Her son Peter said "Over the 36 years she has lived in Alderley Edge, she has obviously seen many neighbours come and go. Although now hard-of-hearing, her sight is failing and she is not as mobile as she once was, she remains resolutely self-sufficient and insists on caring for herself.
"It is this independent nature, no doubt shaped by her experiences of growing up in the 1920s and 30s and of war-time Great Britain, that has been the major contributing factor to her long life."
Needless to say, Peter and Michael are tremendously proud of her and look forward to celebrating further significant birthdays in the future.
Photos: Fran with her telegram from Her Majesty the Queen. Fran with her sons Peter (left) and Michael.
