Princess William rings in 104

GOING STRONG: Princess William during her 104th birthday celebrations last week Friday at her home at William Drive, Longdenville.
GOING STRONG: Princess William during her 104th birthday celebrations last week Friday at her home at William Drive, Longdenville.

Princess William marked her 104th birthday on December 29 surrounded by family including a visiting nephew working with the United Nations in Somalia.

Her daughter Jacqueline Richardson said the celebration included a grandson who is a retired sergeant major in the US army and visiting from North Carolina and another grandson, a teacher from Brooklyn. William is the mother of 10, grandmother of 43, great grandmother of 41, and great great great grandmother of five.

The party was held at her home at William Drive, Longdenville. Richardson said the street was named after her about 16 years ago as the 16 houses in the area agreed on naming it for the oldest and longest living person in the area.

William was born in Venezuela and was the eldest of 12 children; her only remaining sibling is her brother Edward Allibey who is his 80s. She spent her life as a domestic worker working for the owners and managers of companies like Alstons Shipping and Rotoplastics. Her husband Cyril William was a pipe fitter at the Water and Sewerage Authority and died almost 50 years ago.

Richardson described her mother as very humble, hard working and a devout Jehovah's Witness. She attributes her long life to living life for God and reading her Bible daily; Richardson said sometimes her mother would fall asleep with the Bible. She also attributes her long life to eating good including ground provision which she herself planted.

Richardson said her mother was never a drinker nor a smoker and is a cancer survivor. She is still able to read without glasses and thread a needle and does all the sewing in the house.

"It is a pleasure having my mother with me at this age."

She said her mother lives a very simple life and does not want any celebration for her birthday, especially being a Jehovah's Witness, but they view it as a family reunion and the family compromises by not buying her a cake.

"We tell her we celebrating her life."

Richardson said that even when her mother dies she will continue to celebrate her birthday.

"She is a very good mother."

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"Princess William rings in 104"

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