Dancing shoes

Irene Darby may have had to hang up her dancing shoes but at the grand age of 100, she’s already waltzing into the future.

Proudly holding a card from King Charles, Irene is now looking forward to receiving another when she turns 105. And with cards being sent each year after this, looking at Irene, there’s no reason to suspect she won’t end up with mantlepiece full of messages from the King!

Irene is actually three years older than the DAMHA home she now lives in at Deaf Hill, Trimdon Grange as that scheme opened in 1926.

Irene says she has had a nice life, despite some difficult times like experiencing the Second World War.

She recalls: “I remember standing on the doorstep and seeing the searchlights trying to pinpoint a German plane and the sound of guns and bombs. It wasn’t nice but luckily, we got through the war unscathed.

“My dad kept pigs on his allotment during the war so even with rationing we were fortunate to have enough to eat.”

Like many people of her generation, Irene met her husband Jimmy at a dance club and after a courtship they went on to have two children, Billy and Valerie. Although Jimmy sadly passed, Irene’s extended family now amounts to three grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and one great, great-grandchild.

Dancing has always been close to Irene’s heart and she say only stopped in her 80s due to mobility issues.

“We used to go dancing each Sunday night at the Trimdon Labour Club; they were great times,” she says.

Irene celebrated her birthday at home with her family, friends and neighbours.

Another one of our residents, Elsie Doyle from Seaham, has also celebrated her 100th birthday.

Congratulations to both ladies from everyone at DAMHA.