Benhall’s Centenarians

In 1867 the Ipswich Journal reported on the number of centenarians (a person who has reached the age of 100 years) mentioned in the newspaper for the previous year, there were eight. 

The paper stated that it was a well-established fact that the dry climate of the Eastern Counties, Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire, tended greatly toward the longevity of life.

In the same year an Aldeburgh correspondent reported an interesting fact about Benhall, that he had called upon several persons and been surprised at their combined ages. He ascertained that the united ages of ten Benhall residents – five of each gender – totalled 838 years, an average of 83 years and 9 months.
These statistics are from 1867 but what about 150 years on? We know of two upcoming centenarians this year: one in Benhall and one in Kelsale.

 

 

                                          Sylvia Cable                                                                                            22 Benhall Green on far left, side on

Sylvia Cable nee Brewer was born December 1922 in Dunwich. During WWII she was in the Land Army and worked for the Tollers in Benhall where she met her husband Frank Cable from Bigsby’s Corner. Her family lived at no.20 Benhall Green for 15 years before it was demolished and they moved to Kelsale. She was head cook at Kelsale school and remembers making 36 dozen hot cross buns one Easter (that’s 432) and many can still remember her ‘hot chocolate crunch with pink sauce’ for dessert. A member of the Parish Council and organiser of the Saxmundham & Kelsale Afternoon Club (for over 60s) she has never had a car but has visited America 27 times!

Asked if she would have done anything differently, she replied, “No, I don’t have any regrets. I have had a wonderful and happy life, never wanted what others have had and have always wanted to help where I can. I wouldn’t want to change a thing as I have such a loving and caring family.”
And what of the future? Sylvia is looking forward to going to her granddaughter’s wedding reception in a few weeks and perhaps the Saxmundham 750th celebrations. 


This month (August) Benhall will be celebrating the 100th birthday of Manette Baillie nee Callie who originally moved into Limetree House, Benhall in the 1960s.
When asked if she had anything left on her bucket list that she wanted to do, she replied, “I have never driven a fast sports car, so I said I would really like to go round Silverstone in a Ferrari and guess what? That’s what my wonderful friends, the Grahams, have arranged!”
Manette will not be alone as a coach full of local residents will be accompanying her to Silverstone on Saturday 17th July. Its going to be quite a day!

 

 

Any words of wisdom for the rest of us, Manette? “Just getting through life is a battle but I can tell you that my life’s pleasure is being surrounded by friends and family, it’s the most important thing to me.”