Milestone for Gwen (From Gazette Series)

Milestone for Gwen

A DURSLEY woman has celebrated her 102nd birthday,

Gwen Sellars, who lives at Kinver Grange Retirement Home, celebrated on Wednesday and staff at the home held two parties to mark the occasion.

Gladys Gwendoline Mary Sellars was born in Dublin on February 3, 1902. Her father died when she was only nine months old and her mother returned to her home town of Cheltenham.

By the time she was 14 she had lost her stepfather and had nursed her dying mother.

After the First World War she made her first attempt to train as a nurse but ill health forced her to resign.

She then took a job as a second nanny at a private house. Here she gained information about Toc H. The name was taken from the Morse Code for Talbot House in Poperinge, near Ypres - a house set up by the Rev Philip Clayton to provide refuge for soldiers on the front line.

On returning from the war Mr Clayton set up a Talbot House in London and in 1922, aged 20, Gwen went to work at the refuge. One of her fondest memories of working there when Queen Mary paid a visit.

In 1935 Gwen qualified as a midwife after training at Queen Mary's Hospital and two years later qualified as a health visitor.

During the Second World War she was kept busy in London clinics despite being bombed out herself.

Her friends at the retirement home say that to care is second nature to Gwen and even now she can be found doing something for someone in need.