MORE than 100 people gathered to celebrate the birthday of Bude’s latest centenarian.

On November 12, 1918, people were celebrating the end of the First World War, but there was also cause for another celebration as baby Margaret Ball (nee Bright) was born, who celebrated her 100th birthday recently.

Friends and family gathered to mark the occasion at a cake cutting ceremony at the Parkhouse Centre in Bude. Mayor, Bob Willingham, attended the event and presented Margaret with a bouquet of flowers. He said: “I have a lot of events to attend but this has been the highlight of my year!”

Postman Luke, who used to deliver the mail for Margaret, made a special delivery by bringing the birthday card signed by the Queen and presented it to her.

Margaret was born in Merton, Devon, the daughter of Henry and Louisa, and will be known to many as ‘sub-postmistress’, first in Merton and later in Kilkhampton, where she ran the Post Office and shop. She took over as sub-postmistress in Merton from her mother at the age of 14.

Her husband, Jack, died in 1990 at the age of 75. After retiring from the Post Office, the couple lived in Kilkhampton, before moving to Bude in 1987.

Margaret was also the first woman to drive a car in the village of Merton, passing her test at 17! She was also well known in the chapel, being a lifelong member, and in the WI, which she joined from a young age. She developed lots of hobbies, including painting, playing the organ, singing in the choir, patchwork and knitting. Every year she won first prize in the flower show for her cutrounds.

Margaret has two daughters, Jenny and Lizzy, three grandchildren, Hannah, Jacob and Charlotte, and two great grandchildren, Sam and Rose. Her family are spread all over the country, in London, Staffordshire, Bristol and Brighton, and all joined with her in Bude for the celebration.

As part of the celebration, a poem ‘Happy 100th Birthday Grandma’, was written for the occasion, the first section reading: “On November 12 in 1918, a wondrous being came onto the scene. It was a momentous day in more ways than one. The war had just ended, the fighting all done.”

To her delight, Margaret also received a mention during the Graham Norton Saturday radio show — all adding up to be a special day for a very special lady.