Cavell Court 100-year-old reveals secret to long life

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Apr 26, 2017

Cavell Court has celebrated the 100th birthday of a popular resident who has attributed her long and happy life to good clean living and her faith.

Marjorie King celebrated the impressive milestone with family members, friends and residents at the care home on Dragonfly Lane on Wednesday 5th April.

Marjorie was presented with a spring bouquet of her favourite flowers, and her centenarian status was celebrated with a slice of birthday cake.

Revealing the secret to living to 100, Marjorie King said: “There is no secret really, clean living certainly helps but for me, my faith played a big part.”

Samantha Woods, customer relations manager at Cavell Court, said: “We always like to make an occasion of birthdays, and Marjorie’s 100th is no exception. We made sure that she had a great day and her family presented her with a special birthday cake to mark the milestone. It was lovely to be joined by Marjorie’s family and friends to celebrate such a special occasion.”

Marjorie King was born in Norwich on 5th April 1917, and was the fourth child of George and Ethel King. Her parents later went on to have three more children, and Marjorie became the middle child.

It was clear early on that Marjorie had a thirst for knowledge, and she went on to study at Kings College London in 1936, gaining a BSc in botany. Unlike her contemporaries, Marjorie was a real intellectual and took education in her stride.

During the Second World War, Marjorie taught science at a school in Canterbury, and regales the team at Cavell Court with tales of harvesting the school vegetable patch as the Battle of Britain was fought overhead.

After the war, Marjorie felt compelled to do something more worthwhile with her life, and through the London Missionary Society was appointed Principal of Papauta Girls School in Apia, Western Samoa. She remained in her post for 15 years, before returning to Norfolk to live with her two sisters, Winnie and Dorothy.

Marjorie’s main hobby was maintaining her beloved garden, in which she took great pride. She never married, but enjoyed the company of her two nieces and five nephews and their children including; eight great nephews and nieces, and 13 great-great nephews and nieces.

Marjorie moved into Cavell Court in July 2016 after a fall at home, where she now enjoys spending time in the home gardens.