Brendan Simpkins

SOUTH Australia’s three-day lockdown failed to stop Joyce Bloodworth from celebrating her century.

Mrs Bloodworth, a resident of Oasis Garden Retirement Village in Gawler, was due to celebrate her 100th birthday on November 19, however, those plans were thrown into disarray following the lockdown announcement the day before.

Instead her son Mike Bloodworth and family made a last ditch effort to celebrate the milestone on Wednesday night before the lockdown came into place.

Mike said it went off well despite the rush to make it possible.

“It went off very well like it was her birthday and Mum seemed to understand that was the case,” he said.

“It was a bit daunting to start with because I had just got the cake delivered and it only lasts five days, so I thought we can’t have the cake going off. All of a sudden it came to my mind that we’ll do it at night before lockdown happened.

“It was important to have family there. When I can get Mum out and the whole family together again, we will do something.”

It was a double delight, though, with Mrs Bloodworth able to celebrate for a second time on Thursday with fellow residents and staff at Oasis.

She said a few words to those gathered in the dining area, thanking staff for the cake she received and for looking after her during her time at Oasis.

Mrs Bloodworth was born in Coventry in the West Midlands of England in 1920 where she lived for 44 years before migrating to Australia in 1964.

She lived in England during World War II and spent four years working in an aircraft factory inspecting propeller engine gears.

Coventry was hit hard from air raids during the war due to its role in supplying parts to the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force.

Mrs Bloodworth remembers the destruction of the Coventry blitz well.

She has lived in Australia for 56 years and has spent the past 14 at Oasis after initially settling in Para Hills.

Mr Bloodworth said his mother was “over the moon” on Wednesday night, receiving more than 20 birthday cards from well-wishers.

Those cards included greetings from Queen Elizabeth, Primer Minister Scott Morrison and Federal Member for Spence Nick Champion.

Mrs Bloodworth is the only living family member of her maiden name, Ward, following the death of her sister Vera who remained in England.

Mike described his mother as a quiet person who played piano all her life and loved to dance.

Mrs Bloodworth was married to Kenneth, who lived five doors up the road from her in Conventry, from 1953 up until his death in 2011, aged 90.

She has two grandchildren, Susan and David, two great-grandchildren, Arya and Cooper, and a daughter-in-law, Sheila.