Smiling Alice 'an inspiration'
ONE of Calderdale's oldest residents, 106-year-old Alice Wynne, took a jaunt down memory lane to celebrate her special birthday.
Alice found plenty to smile about when she enjoyed a trip to Halifax Borough Market where she used to work on Mallinder's High Class Fruit and Vegetable Stall. Her former boss David Mallinder paid a surprise visit to wish her happy birthday.
A resident at Lands House Care Home, Rastrick, Alice enjoyed looking round the market on Monday and spotting the changes from the days when she worked there.
"I worked Thursday mornings and all day Fridays and Saturdays for 14 years. I was very happy in my job. I loved meeting people," said Alice. "I think the market looks lovely, it's a beautiful place."
Administrator Christine Payne and other staff accompanied Alice on the trip.
"She laughed and talked all afternoon. It was as if visiting the market had stirred up lots of happy memories for her. She was interested in all the changes and in looking at the stalls. Alice is a grand lady - she was quite poorly this winter but she fought back. She was rather tired this year but she always enjoys a party for her birthday," said Christine.
Alice was born in Claremount, Halifax, in 1904 - the same year Rolls-Royce started making cars and a decade before the outbreak of the First World War. She worked in the former Paton and Baldwin's wool mill in Halifax before taking a job on the market. Her late husband, Thomas, died when Mrs Wynne was 82 and the couple's only son Anthony died when he was 47. She has lived at Lands House for seven years.
Alice was presented with flowers and a birthday cake by markets manager, John Walker, and received a card from the Queen and a telegram from Iain Duncan Smith, secretary of state for work and pensions.
She also had a tea party at Lands House.
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Weather for Halifax
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 9 C to 14 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
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