Big party to celebrate the 100th birthday of much loved Southam woman who had a shop in the town

Family and friends of a much-loved Southam woman have shown their appreciation for her at her 100th birthday celebration in the town.

Phyllis King, born on March 1 1923, and her late husband George had a shoe shop in High Street for many years before they both retired.

Over the years she has been a very active member of the congregation at St James church in the town, often carrying the wreath as part of its Remembrance services.

She has spent much of her life caring for others starting with George whom she married at the age of 19.

While Phyllis was working in a factory during the Second World War, George was severely injured in an accident in which he was crushed by a bren gun carriage and had his jaw broken in three places when he was was stationed with the British Army in Dymchurch.

He was discharged from the army and trained as a cobbler and shoemaker while Phyllis looked after him and also his nephews and nieces who had been evacuated from Coventry.

The couple opened their shoe shop in the town centre a few years later.

Born in Stockton and growing up in a two bedroom cottage, Phyllis was the youngest and last surviving of 13 children.

Because the school day was broken into mornings and afternoons on either side of lunch time back then she would have to walk the one-mile distance between the school and her house four times a day.

More recently, Phyllis has helped out the church with flower arranging and also helped patients and staff at the Helen Lay House care home.

She has a son, Geoff, two grandsons Andrew and David, and four great grandchildren Lauren,Shannon, Georgia and Toby.

More than 100 people attended her birthday party at the Southam Sports and Social Club recently.

Phyllis’s daughter-in-law Liz said: “She's an amazing woman and the matriarch of the family who always has people wanting to visit her.”