A Swansea great great grandmother who is believed to be Wales’s oldest woman will celebrate her 109th birthday on Friday October 15.
Mrs Esther Vickery was born 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 family.
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 by Swansea Council at its Ty Waunarlwydd complex 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 at the farm Ystrad Isha- not too far from her current home.
She married her farmer husband Tom and together they formed the Pwll-y-Whyaid farm which is now part of the Portmead and Blaenymaes estates.
In 1954 the family moved to Papermill Farm in Ystrad Road.
Esther was widowed in 1964 and in 1986 she moved to a house in Swansea Road, Waunarlwydd.
She then took up residence in Swansea Council’s Ty Waunarlwydd after injuries sustained in a fall limited her mobility. Her sister Mrs Ivora Beynon also lives there.
Son Len, an 80-year-olf who lives in Welshpool, will join Esther for the party. 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, the Officer in charge of Swansea Council’s Ty Waunarlwydd, said: “Mrs Vickery is a dignified and intelligent lady who converses about her life clearly.
“It’s a pleasure to care for her and she is very much respected by the staff and residents of Ty Waunarlwydd.
“Mrs Vickery still remains quite independent and active.”
