Dorothy is 100 not out

Cricket was among Dorothy Scaife’s favourite sports when she was younger, so it is apt that she has just become 100 not out!

Dorothy recently celebrated her 100th birthday, surrounded by her family and friends at the Broadacres-run Orchards extra care scheme in Brompton, near Northallerton.

Born into a farming family in 1918, Dorothy was very sporty, excelling in tennis, cricket and hockey. As Head Girl at Easingwold School, she won the school sports cup three years in a row.

Her family’s farm was very close to the A19 near Thirsk and she remembers playing tennis on what has now become a very busy, main road.

She says: “There were hardly any cars on the road back then and they didn’t go fast, so we were able to play on it.”

A very fit Dorothy also used to cycle to school each day, equating to an incredible round trip of 14 miles.

After leaving school, she learned typing and shorthand, before going on to teach others these skills, and then worked for the electricity board.

She then married her husband, Walter, and the couple went on to have three children. Dorothy also has four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

To mark her 100th, a special party lunch was held in her honour. Among those present were Dorothy’s son Les and his wife Christine, who had made a lovely montage of pictures of Dorothy taken over the years.

Rowena Langdale, Manager of The Orchards, said: “Dorothy is the first of residents to reach 100 so we wanted to make sure she had a day to remember. She is a lovely lady.”