Centenarians bow out on same day

TWO of Oldham’s oldest residents have died at the age of 100 — on the same day.

War veteran Thomas Farrimond and long-serving teacher Gladys Dronsfield died on December 23.

Mr Farrimond, who served in World War II, died at Ashbourne House, Lees. Born to parents Joseph and Ethel, Thomas had two sisters — Emily and the late Rhone.

Thomas had a daughter Irene (74) and son Peter (72) who died last year. He was also grandad to Andrew and Susan and great-grandad to Lucy, Joseph and Elizabeth.

Mrs Dronsfield, ex-president of the Oldham Retired Teachers’ Association, was a pupil at Hulme Grammar School for Girls where she represented the school at hockey and now has a trophy named after her.

After Hulme, Mrs Dronsfield attended teacher training college in Warrington and, after qualifying in 1934, spent the greater part of her teaching career in Derker, retiring after 10 years at Leesfield.

She is a former president of Saddleworth WI and drove a meals-on-wheels van in Saddleworth into her 80s.

Mrs Dronsfield had two sons — Neil (68), who emigrated to Vancouver, Canada, and Kevin (70).

Her husband Harry died at the age of 70 and she had two granddaughters and four great-grandchildren.

Her younger brother, Wilfred Hall, a handicraft teacher at Counthill School for many years, died in 2011 aged 92.

Mrs Dronsfield’s funeral will be held at Oldham Crematorium, Hollinwood, on Thursday, January 8, at 1pm. Mr Farrimond’s funeral will be held at the same venue on Friday, January 9, 2015, at noon.