"Amazing Grace" -The Story of a Supercentenarian

 I have been sharing the story of my husband's grandparents and their family. One member of Joe and Sarah's family became something of a celebrity.........112 years after she was born! 

Catherine ("Gracie" later "Grace") Jones was born in Liverpool in 1906.  Gracie experienced the deaths of her mother, sister and brother before the age of 10. She was brought up after 1911 with her three surviving sisters - with Sarah taking over the role of her mother.

Grace and her family lived at number 12 Cowley Road

for most of her childhood.

I think this is Grace standing outside that address 

(There is a helpful No. 12 visible!)

I don't have a lot of information about Grace from before the War but I do have a lot of photographs of her between the wars. None of these were published when she appeared in the newspapers and on the BBC at the commemoration of the end of the Great War (2018) or when she became the oldest person in the UK in 2019. There are some lovely photos.

 

 Grace is standing right between the two other girls

Sarah is holding her son, Ed,so Grace must be about 14 

(although she looks younger!)

 

Grace was bridesmaid at her sister, Lilian's, wedding in 1921

She would have been 15. She is seated next to the very serious looking groom!

 

 

 

I think Ed would be about 5 here,

so Grace (far left)  must be about 18 or 19. I don't know who 

the very formidible lady in the hat is, sadly!

I am told that before she married, Grace had a milliner's shop. I have been very lucky to find an electoral roll with her on it for 1932 (the year before she got married). She is on two addresses - one is the family home at 277 Queen's Drive Liverpool. The other is 45 Cherry Avenue. This is her shop premises. I can't find any photos or other information, sadly!

 

However, I believe that she also worked at Lewis's in Liverpool, because I have a postcard with a photo of Lewis's on it - on the reverse Sarah has written some information about the store that sounds as though Grace was working there.

 

 

Grace married Leonard Roderick Jones in 1933. I have found this photograph online - it must have been passed to the press by her daughter, Deirdre. It's lovely.

Grace and Leonard had a daughter, Deirdre.

Leonard died in 1986.  They had a very happy marriage - and found the energy to move 28 times! Grace lived to be 112 years and 264 days. She saw 26 Prime Ministers and 5 monarchs come and go in her life time!

Grace was interviewed by the BBC on the eve of Armistice Day 2018. That was 100 years after the war ended, 108 years after her mother died and 103 years after she rememberd her father receiving the news of her brother, Tom's, death. She discussed it in an audio recording - so we have a record of her voice. She speaks of the start of the War, of Sarah queuing for food (Sarah was only 21 and had responsibility for her 3 younger sisters and father) and also of Sarah taking her to the Pier Head in Liverpool with 1000s of others to celebrate or certainly to acknowledge, the end of the War. She can be heard discussing it here:

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-gloucestershire-46154997

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-48829770 

One article says that her father was a vicar which is not true - her father was a shipwright in Liverpool, as was his father and his father's father. I believe her father in law was the vicar in the family! I have photos of him.

The staff and other residents in the care home that Grace lived in towards the end of her life called her "amazing Grace". Certainly lucky to have been healthy enough to survive nearly 113 years, but an indomitable lady nevertheless. Truly amazing

Gracie (centre). 

 

Grace below

There are 107 years between these photos!!

 

According to her daughter, Grace swore that a whisky every night helped her longevity.

She told the Gloucestershire Echo: “Whisky is very good for you. I started having a nightly tot of it when I turned 50, so I’ve been having it every night for the last 60 years and I certainly have no intention of stopping now.

“My doctor said:” ‘Keep up with the whisky, Grace, it’s good for your heart.’”

It certainly did the trick Grace! I hope you are enjoying a tot somewhere now....

CATHERINE (GRACE) JONES

1906-2019

 

"Such Devoted Sisters"

Sarah was one of 8 children born to Henry Banks Rich and Sarah (nee Eilbeck) between 1891 and 1906. A brother, Henry and and sister,, Margaret had died in infancy and her mother died in 1910 at the age of 43. This  meant that at the age of 17 she was looking after her father, 4 sisters (the youngest aged 4) and a brother. In 1911 another sister, Alice Mabel died aged 16. (her elder brother was to die aged 23 at Gallipoli).

 

"In Loving Memory of Alice Mabel". Died aged 15 years

                                             "In Loving Memory of Henry" aged 8 months

                                                   Both buried in Kirkdale Cemetery 

 

 

Sarah had three sisters who survived into adulthood and whom she shared her family life with. 

 

Lilian May Rich 1900 - 1963 (standing, right)

Doris Ann Rich 1902 - 1987 (standing left)

Sarah is seated

 Sarah's other sister

Catherine Grace Rich

1906-2019

This is not a typo! "Gracie" lived to be 112!

 

Lillie ("Nin"), Gracie and Doris

 

I don't know a lot about Lillie and Doris; the mementoes and photos I have belonged to Sarah and her family and passed down to my mother in law. I think the other side of the family probably know a lot more. I do (of course!) have photos though. Of Gracie, I know a LOT more - because she became famous in 2019 when she became the oldest person in the UK - a "supercentenian" (someone who has lived past the age of 110.) She remembered the First World War, Sarah looking after the family and her father receiving the telegram to say her brother had been killed at Gallipoli. Hard to imagine!

I do know that Lillie and Doris worked in a "grocers and provisions store"; Lillie gave her occupation on the 1921 Census as "shop assistant" and the place of work as "S & J Wallace" - I have found them in a trade directory - Samuel and James. An uncle gave his occupation as "pork butcher" on the 1911 census - I have a photo! Of course!  I wonder if this is him.

 

 Doris left and Lillie

at their uncle's butcher shop

 

 

 

LILIAN MAY RICH 1900-1963

 

Lillie also worked as a nurse during the First World War

Lillie married Thomas Percy (Varnishmaker) in July 1923. Sarah's husband, Joe, was a varnishmaker and I wonder if they met through him. I have a stunning photograph of their wedding.

 

A lot of the people we have "met" or will soon meet are here!

Joe is holding his son Edgar. Sarah is next to him

Lilian and Sarah's father is back right

I'm sure Doris is there somewhere- maybe under a hat!

Catherine (Gracie) is seated next to Tom, who doesn't 

look to cheerful!

Lillian and Tom had one child, a son, Leonard Edgar.

 

 

Lillie and Tom lived at several addresses in the Bootle area, including Queen's Drive and Three Butt Lane. Tom died in 1958 aged just 60. Lillie died in September 1963 aged 63. Their son is still alive and has given me much information and confirmation of who is who on many photos!

DORIS ANN RICH 1902-1987

Doris was born on 12th November 1902. Her mother, Sarah  died when she was only 8. Her elder sister, Sarah, looked after her and her other three sisters and brother. Sarah was only 17. I do not know very much about Doris and don't have a wedding photo sadly! However I do have some photos that I can identify her in. 

 

This lovely photo shows the four sisters

and I think her brother, Tom, is driving. Catherine, the youngest

was born in 1906 so I am guessing she is around 8, 

so this could be 1914.

Left is Lillie, then Doris, Catherine and Sarah

 

 

I think that Doris is pictured left, am unsure which 

sister is on the right - Sarah or Lillie!

This photo shows all four sisters with family members

I think Sarah is holding her daughter, so it would be around 1925.

Left is Lillie and Tom, then Doris and Sam. 

I think Catherine Grace if far right seated next to Sarah is her father Henry 

The other elderly man might be Sarah's father in law 

This fantastic photo is of Doris's husband Sam 

(He looks like something out of Bonnie and Clyde!)

The 1921 census states that he is a cattle food salesman

I must say this car looks very swanky for that occupation!

But I have several photos of it!

 

And so to the celebrity in the family!

CATHERINE GRACE RICH

1906-2019

 

Catherine ("Gracie") Rich was only 4 when her mother died in 1910. The youngest surviving child and 13 years younger than Sarah. Sarah took over the care of the family aged 17. Quite a responsibility (I have written about this in a previous blog).

 

Page from Sarah's family bible detailing

Catherine's birth (as well as Sarah's  husband's and her sons')

 

I will be dedicating a whole page of my blog to "Gracie". She was in the national news in 2019 when she became the oldest person in the UK at 112 and 264 days! I have a lot of unpublished private phots, documents and information about her. 

I think this is Grace - it is almost certainly

outside of the Rich home in Cowley Road

I have more photos of this that I will share next time...