A remarkable Hertfordshire resident has marked an extraordinary milestone, proving that age is truly just a number. Millicent 'Babs' Hill celebrated her 106th birthday surrounded by family, friends, and fellow residents at Deercote Court independent living apartments in Cheshunt, where she remains famously sharp, active, and at the very heart of her community.
Born in Hackney in 1920, Babs' incredible life spans more than a century of British history. Her fascinating journey includes dodging Blitz bombings on her wedding day in 1940, which led to a classroom ceremony fueled by spam and rationed fruit cake, to manufacturing essential wartime walkie-talkies and hauling heavy designer dress suitcases through London's historic rag trade.
A Life of Resilience
Babs was born in the Salvation Army Mothers Hospital in Hackney on May 14, 1920, to Millie and Ted Taverner. She said: 'I was loved but not planned, which made my mum and dad's life very difficult as dad was serving an apprenticeship. They married but the family had to support them.'
'I grew up in North London and we finally settled in Bounds Green where I left the local school to go to work at the age of 14. I worked in the rag trade as a junior and daily I had to travel to the West End with a heavy suitcase filled with beautiful dresses to take to Dean Street and other places. I got to know my way around the West End and fell in love with it.'
She met her husband Wally when she was about 17 and they married in 1940. The wedding plans were disrupted by wartime bombing, forcing the ceremony to take place in a school classroom. 'We had only eight guests, my mum Millie, dad Ted and my sister Eileen, Wally's mum and dad, and three relatives. Everyone clubbed together with ration points and we managed to buy some spam and a fruit cake, a cardboard covering for the cake could have been bought for an extra guinea, however we couldn't afford that. We soon left to help disperse the party because of the bombing.'
After her sister Eileen died at age 10, Babs was called up for war work at Standard Telephones New Southgate, making parts for walkie-talkies. She left in 1945 to start a family, and her daughter Susan was born in 1946. In 1950, the family bought a cottage in Ware, which they modernized over the years. Her husband died in 1984, and Babs moved to Deercote Court in 2004.
Community and Wisdom
An early member of the Hertford U3A, Babs joined many groups and introduced card games to Deercote Court, which residents still play today. She celebrated her 106th birthday on May 14 with residents, family, and friends. 'I appreciate everyone's support, it was very lovely and happy day for me so thank you all,' she said.
When asked about the secret to her long life, Babs offered simple wisdom: 'Keep breathing, everything in moderation, no medication unless absolutely necessary, and let your body repair itself.'
