Thetford centenarian resident shares secret to longevity

There were plenty of smiles and slices of cake at a care home in Thetford when one resident celebrated a milestone birthday.

Patricia Pirrie, who lives at Care UK’s Coronation House, on Norwich Road, turned 100 in style with banners, balloons and a special message from the king. 

When asked about her secret to living a long and happy life, Patricia said: "Having a good diet and going outside.”

Born in Surrey, Patricia worked in the Royal Aircraft Establishment from the age of 18, where she once “hedgehopped” a Lancaster plane with the famous test pilot Eric ‘Winkle’ Brown. 

Following her time there, she worked as an office worker at the British Petroleum and met her husband James Pirrie, a soldier, by chance while travelling through a railway tunnel. Striking up a conversation, the pair felt an instant connection, with Patricia later describing the encounter as fate. 

The couple got married in 1948, before James was deployed during WW2, together travelling to Egypt and Australia, before returning to England, where they later had three children: Linda, Jim and Sue.

Throughout her life, Patricia enjoyed collecting antiques and has always been a keen gardener. As a life-long vegetarian, she grew her own food, including green beans and potatoes, and enjoyed the small luxury of having fresh vegetables to eat. A woman of many talents, she was also an excellent baker, known for her delicious apple pies and fruit buns.  

Reflecting on her birthday, Patricia said: “I feel very special to have received a letter from the king and was so happy to have had the balloons and the cards from my family.” 

Teresa Burgess, Home Manager at Coronation House, said: “Patricia is a much-loved resident here at Coronation House and it was great to be a part of such a special occasion. The celebrations were filled with smiles, laughter and plenty of cake!

“We’re committed to helping residents live fulfilling lives, which is why we love to celebrate big milestones – and Patricia’s 100th birthday is a huge milestone indeed. On behalf of the whole team, I’d like to wish Patricia a happy birthday once again; we’re already looking forward to our next celebration.” 

Coronation House is a state-of-the-art care home which provides full-time residential and dementia care, as well as short-term respite care. Designed to enable residents to live enjoyable and fulfilling lives, the home with garden view rooms has its very own cinema, café and hair salon, and there is plenty of space – both indoors and out – for relaxation and recreation.