Century celebrations plane sailing for Ida

Ida Tonks celebrated her century with family and friends – and the little gift teddy in goggles from the air force.

Ida’s early years were spent at Percy Street. She said: “It was a farm, with buildings used by the people in the markets, the fruit-sellers and so on. I started school on St Ann’s Road, but the majority of school was at Ravenfield. We moved because my brother was ill and the doctor said to move to the country to help with that.”

The family later lived at the Butcher’s Arms, Braithwell, before Ida joined up with the Women’s RAF when the Second World War broke out and was based at Syerston, near Newark. “My work was charging the batteries for the planes,” she said. “There was a team of us. For D-Day, we had some gliders come in. It was unbelievable to see them – one Lancaster bomber would pull three gliders. It was important work. The RAF was a part of my life that I enjoyed. It opened things up for me.”

After the war, Ida bred labradors – winning a prize at Crufts – before running a cattery at Bramley for nearly 20 years. That venture was closed when husband Jack changed career and went to work at a food factory in Aston.

After Jack died, Ida decided to see even more of the world – spending a decade on cruises and starting with a three-month world tour. “There was a group of us and I was the oldest,” she said. “So they all called me Grandma.”

Ida, of Flanderwell, celebrated last Monday with family – including nieces and nephews from the likes of London, Newcastle and Aberdeen.