A Swansea great great grandmother will be celebrating her 108th birthday this week.
Mrs Esther Vickery was born on the October 15 in 1901- the year that Queen Victoria died.
Esther will be celebrating her special day with a party at Swansea Council care home Ty Waunarlwydd along with residents and her family to whom she is devoted.
She puts her long life down to never smoking, never drinking alcohol and thanking God for being able to go to Chapel whenever she wants to.
Thanks to her being found a place at Ty Waunarlwydd she is living just 50 yards from Sardis Chapel where she has worshipped for many years.
Esther spent more than 80 years of her life farming and was born not far from her current home at the farm Ystrad Isha.
She married her husband Tom, a farmer, and together they formed Pwll-y-Whyaid farm, which is now part of the Portmead and Blaenymaes estates.
In 1954 the family moved to Papermill Far on Ystrad Road.
She was widowed in 1964 and in 1986 she moved to a house in Swansea Road, Waunarlwydd.
She then took up residence in Ty Waunarlwydd after injuries sustained in a fall limited her mobility. Her sister Ivora Beynon also lives there.
Joining her for her party will be her son Len, aged 80, who lives in Welshpool, Powys. Her eldest son Ron died tragically last year and her third son, Alwyn, died eight years ago. She has six grandchildren and 14 great grand children.
Esther has kept diaries throughout her life and her main interest is her family.
Jane Thomas, Officer in Charge of Swansea Council’s Ty Waunarlwydd, said: “On behalf of all the team here I would like to say that Mrs Vickery is a dignified and intelligent lady who converses about her life clearly.
“She wrote a poem that she had learned at school and recited it in our St David’s Day celebrations and it was also passed to the local chapel to be read out in the service.
“It’s a pleasure to care for her and she’s very much respected by the staff and residents of Ty Waunarlwydd.
“She still remains quite independent and active and takes the Evening Post daily to keep up on the news. Mrs Vickery is now looking forward to the Christmas activities at Ty Waunarlwydd.”
