Hard work never did Elsie, 101, any harm!

HERE’S to my 101st birthday. Elsie Firth drinks a toast to long life

HARD work is the recipe for a long life for Elsie Firth who celebrates her 101st birthday on Sunday.

And she certainly started young — at the age of 12 she was working as a ring spinner at the Lees and Wrigley Mill in Oldham.

Elsie was born in Iron Street, Glodwick, and met her husband Fred while walking with friends.

They married at St Mark’s Church, Glodwick, in 1935 and had one daughter Brenda Monk, now aged 72.

As the mills declined in the 1950s, Elsie began working as a cleaner at the Electricity Board in Union Street and then Oldham sorting office. And she found some extra duties — walking the local Post Office dog.

Elsie’s husband died in 1969, but Elsie continued working for another eight years, leading an active life.

There were holidays in England and Scotland with her daughter and son-in-law Jim and Elsie lived for some years at warden controlled Riverside House, Kenworthy Gardens, Uppermill.

Now living at Franklin House residential home for the elderly, Coldhurst, Elsie enjoys watching TV and looks forward to visits from relatives.

She said: “I think that being in the mill with all the hard work there has kept me fit and active.”