‘We love her to bits’ - South Shields care home celebrates Irene Hay’s 100th birthday

Irene Hay celebrated her 100th birthday on Tuesday, July 18, as she spent the milestone day with those closest to her.

Born to William and Emily Hitcham on July 18, 1923, Irene was the youngest of four children and lived in the Westoe area, attending Mortimer Road School.

At the age of 19, Irene married William (Bill) Hay at Harton Methodist Church on March 20, 1943 - a church that she was heavily involved with all her life until the first Covid-19 lockdown.

At the time of their wedding, Bill was in the RAF and stationed at Honeybourne, with Irene joining him and working in the offices of the then American airbase.

When Bill went on to be stationed in India, Irene returned home to South Tyneside and started to work in the offices at Newman’s Lingerie Factory, on Commercial Road in South Shields.

The couple started a family in 1947, when their daughter Sandra was born and she was followed by two sons, Derek, in 1952, and Ian, in 1956.

In 1948, the family moved into a house in Lumley Avenue, where Irene lived for 74 years before she became a resident at Garden Hill Care Home, on St Michael’s Avenue in South Shields, in 2022.

Irene was sadly widowed in early 1977, with her taking on a job at Quigley’s Fruit Shop at The Nook and in a bakery in Cleadon Village.

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Stacey Adams, lifestyle co-ordinator at Garden Hill Care Home, expressed the fondness that all the staff have for Irene and revealed that the 100-year-old is a dab hand at chess.

She said: “We all love her to bits, she has a very cheeky personality in a good way and she had the best 100th birthday surrounded by her family.

“She is from an era where everyone just got on with things and you can tell that stills remains to this day, especially as she takes everything in her stride.

“Ahead of her birthday, she received her telegram from the King and Queen which she was thrilled to bits with, she has been showing it to everyone.

“Irene loves a game of chess and she has recently been teaching me how to play - she must have the patience of a saint because she always beats me.

“Even her family who have been playing chess against her for years struggle to win, she is still very good at it.”

Staff and residents at Garden Hill Care Home held a party for Irene on Wednesday, July 19, where she was presented with a birthday cake and cards.