Local Resident Celebrates Her Hundredth Birthday

Big party for Ruby Akhurst and her family in Chiswick

Local resident Ruby Akhurst who turned 100 years old this week, celebrated her birthday with a party attended by four generations of family members.

Ruby, who is originally from Portsmouth, (born on 5 October 1918) has lived in Chiswick since the early days of her marriage to husband Leslie (now deceased) when the couple moved with their first baby into a flat near Sutton Court Road.

Prior to that they had been living in Hove, near Brighton, where their first daughter Sheila was born in 1939. Their second daughter, Susan, was born in 1946.

She recalls life during the Second World War in Chiswick and scurrying to the bomb shelters at night. They were moved over to Edensor Road in December 1949, when new accommodation was built there and she is probably the longest surviving tenant in the area.

Ruby, who went into service as a young girl, recalled how she met Leslie, who had been working as a jockey for a wealthy family in France.

"I was scrubbing down the steps outside and he saw me and nudged me. That got my attention. We started to chat and then we met up. We got married when I was 19 and started a family. He trained as a mechanic. He was my first boyfriend and my last," she recalls.

She has memories of life on a much quieter Chiswick High Road. "There was Goodban's department store where we used to go shopping and I used to go to the Chiswick Empire- I saw a lot of the big names perform there."

Later when her two daughters were older Ruby returned to work and got a job in an office in Hounslow.

She is very relaxed about turning 100 and says she is delighted to receive her congratulatory message from the Queen.

Ruby says she does not have any great secrets for living to such a good age. She says she is lucky to have good health and to be able to live independently, with visits from her family.

She also goes to the local branch of Age Concern, and attends the bingo. At home she likes to relax in front of her television- her favourite tipple is sherry.

Ruby has five grandchildren, nine great grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren and they turned out in force, along with friends, at the George and Devonshire pub to wish her a happy birthday at what was a very jolly occasion.

October 7, 2018