Muriel has been at Barty House for nearly a year. The
100-year-old, who was born on New Year’s Day 1920, is one of our oldest
residents. During her long life, she’s lived through some momentous times – the
Wall Street Crash and the Great Depression, the Second World War, the Swinging
Sixties, the nuclear age and the invention of the internet, to name just a few.
Muriel grew up with her younger sister in Borough Green. Her
father worked at the local railway station, but when he was promoted and
transferred to London the family moved to Bromley. Around that time the
17-year-old Muriel met future husband Les at a St Patrick’s Night dance. She
was wearing a glamorous mauve evening dress – to this day she associates the
colour with happy times, and still enjoys shopping for mauve clothes!
“Mauve has been my favourite colour ever since I met Les,
and I’ve worn it for all my anniversaries and reunions!” she explains.
The couple married in 1940 and had a son. Muriel became a
medical secretary and Les worked as a treasurer for County Hall (Kent County
Council’s Head Office), volunteering for active service in the RAF during the
war. Afterwards, he returned to work at County Hall and was instrumental in
establishing the NHS in Canterbury.
During their retirement the couple discovered a love of travel,
initially spending three months cruising around the world on the SS Canberra
before clocking up a total of 17 cruises together. Muriel’s favourite
destination is the Caribbean because “everyone’s so friendly and welcoming”.
After 70 years of marriage Les sadly died in 2010, aged 94.
Nowadays, Muriel is close to her grandchildren and has also become Barty
House’s most award-winning bowler!
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