St Neots care home resident turns 100 on day of King's Coronation

Phyllis Bessie celebrated the momentous occasion by going out for dinner with her family on May 6, 2023, before enjoying a special coronation tea party organised by the care home on May 8.

The residents enjoyed a day of music and fun, and Phyllis was 
"absolutely over the moon" to have also received a birthday card from the newly crowned King and Queen, one of the first recipients since the coronation.

Phyllis Bessie with her birthday card from the newly crowned King and Queen. (Image: Newsquest)

Yvette Hadley, the activities coordinator at the care home, said: "It was great that it turned up on time.

"To reach 100, I still don't think she believes it herself to tell you the truth.

"It's absolutely amazing, and she's still fit as a fiddle."

All the residents made handcrafted crowns to wear on the day and listened to live music from a singer who played several old classics, God Save the King and Happy Birthday for Phyllis.

Yvette added: "It went really well; it didn't finish until about 5.30 last night [May 8]!"

Phyllis, born on May 6, 1923, in Wickham Bishops, has witnessed five different monarchs ascend to the throne.

Activities coordinator, Yvette Hadley, helped organise the afternoon cream tea party for Phyllis. (Image: Newsquest)

As a child, she grew up in Slade Green and was the second eldest of three siblings, and her family said she would always complain about getting hand-me-downs.

Phyllis soon married George Frederick Pedder, and they had a son, David, who had three children of his own; Victoria, Rebecca and Charlotte.

She is even a great-grandmother to her great-granddaughter Ellie.

Phyllis eventually moved to St Neots in 2020 to live with her son due to the Covid pandemic and decided she didn't want to leave.

Then in 2021, she arrived at The Old Vicarage Care Home, where staff have been looking after her ever since.