A sense of humour and a big family network are two of the factors that have helped the shire’s oldest resident, Percy Clayton to celebrate his 107th birthday last Saturday.
Percy, who lives with his daughter Carole and her family at Caringbah, was born in Stockport, Lancashire, England in 1910 and left school in 1924 to work in a cotton mill in the village of Marple where he met his future wife, Florence Barton.
Percy said the main historical event he witnessed was World War II. He remembers watching the bombers flying over Manchester.
After the war, Percy and Florence migrated to Australia in 1949 with daughter, Carole.
Percy and Florence bought a cake shop in Forest Road, Arncliffe and Percy would help bake the cakes in the morning before going to work in a factory.
Later they moved to Gymea Bay where Percy had built the family home.
Percy worked in factories doing office work and as a cleaner at Westfield before he retired.
Percy lives at home with his daughter, Carole O’Halloran, his grand-daughter, Rebecca and two great-grandchildren.
He enjoys being the centre of attention of an extended family that includes ten children and 22 grandchildren.
“He enjoys people coming and going. This was the best reason for keeping him at home with us,” Carole said.
When he was 103, Percy had a major heart attack while walking the dog around the block and wasn’t expected to live.
But he went home and his family nursed him back to health.
Carole believes it was being at home with his big family that helped him recover.
He gave up his driving licence at 104 and up until then would drive to Woollies every day to buy the newspaper and his lottery ticket.
And when he did the Census last year, his family had trouble logging in his details with the computer warning them to check his date of birth.
As the shire’s oldest resident, Percy was given the privilege of cutting the cake for all the other shire’s centenarians at this year’s Seniors Week Luncheon at the Sutherland Entertainment Centre in March.
Percy loves to keep mentally active and loves watching his favourite quiz show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire every day on television.
“His mind is still alert and he still answers the questions on the show which is incredible,” Carole said.
“He still remembers being a child in Marple and going to school and working in the cotton mills.
“He can remember a lot of things, and he still has his sense of humour. He always sees the funny side of things.
“He just takes each day as it comes. His whole philosophy is, it it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be.”
Percy celebrated his 107th birthday last Saturday with a gathering of family and friends at the Taren Point Bowling Club.
Included in his birthday cards was one from his granddaughter, Katrina who sent the card from the village of Marple in Lancashire where he grew up.
