104-year-old woman from Eastbourne celebrates incredible milestone

Doris Smith celebrated her 104th birthday at Saffron’s Care Home in Eastbourne. The celebration was attended by local nursery children who presented a handmade card to Doris, who is a century older than them.

Doris moved into Saffrons when she was 103 but prior to that had lived independently, with some help with shopping and gardening from friends and neighbours. She has lived in Sussex for more than 40 years.

She was born on October 23, 1920, just two years after the end of the First World War. She was raised in Kent with her three brothers and a sister.

Doris was 19 when the Second World War broke out and the family farm in Strood, near Rochester, was an important asset providing fruit and vegetables, both locally and to London.

Doris recalls that from a young age, she took a keen interest in her father’s business accounts, helping him count the money. She went on to become a postmistress and later did accounts for a company near Gatwick that made aircraft parts.

Doris as a child with her younger sister Mary (Image: Submitted) Doris, who is Catholic, went on to support a priest in his work with the church. They built a “wonderful friendship” and he lived with her after he retired for 30 years. She cared for him until his death in 2017.

Although Doris never married or had children, she has five nephews and nieces, nine great-nephews and nieces, 16 great-great nephews and nieces and two great-great-great nephews and nieces.

Doris loves animals, owned cats and always fed the foxes.

Tania Hudson who is a friend of Doris and regular visitor said: “Doris is still as sharp as a pin and has a wonderful sense of humour. Although she is the oldest resident in the home, she seems relatively young. She is still fully mobile.

“She has lived through five British monarchs and when asked what her secret to a long life is, she replied 'to spend your life being kind and caring to others'.

“She is fiercely independent and would desperately love to be living back at home.”

She said her 104th birthday party was “wonderful” and that “everyone is so friendly in the home”. Despite being one of few to reach this astonishing milestone, she insisted: “I’ve done nothing exceptional, I’ve just sort of plodded along.”