It’s very apt that cricket-mad William Thompson has reached his century, and is still not out!
The centenarian celebrated his birthday in June with a ‘safe’ garden party surrounded by his family, which include 2 children, three grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and a great, great-grandchild.
Mr Thompson has had quite a life whether it was playing village cricket, serving King and Country during the war or falling in his love with his beloved late wife Edith.
Being 100 years young certainly hasn’t affected his memory, that’s for sure.
On the subject of cricket: “I started playing cricket in Murton when I was a teenager but back then you couldn’t bowl or bat because of your age, so all we did was field.
“I ended up playing for the 2nd and then the 1st team and did bowl and bat name.
“I liked to hit the ball hard and was given the nickname Slogger Thompson and that stuck with me all my life, so I must have been pretty good!!
On the war: “I was an engine mechanic in the RAF serving in the Middle East and served from 1940 until after the war ended.
On Edith: “I used to pass by her regularly and we were on nodding terms before I plucked up the courage to ask her out and we had 70 happy years together.”
We were delighted to recently be able to present cricket-mad Mr Thompson with a bottle of whiskey to mark his 100th birthday. Howzat!