A WOMAN who took up virtually full-time childcare when she was almost 70 has celebrated her 100th birthday.
Kathleen Richmond, like many of her generation, didn’t work other than a brief period ‘in service’ in her early 20s, and after marriage focused instead on looking after the home and raising her only son Keith, who died 16 years ago.
She was the oldest of four and is the last surviving, with her only remaining family being daughter-in-law Auriol Richmond and grandson Edward.
Auriol said: “She basically raised my son, I went back to work as a teacher full time, so she basically had him full time from being eight months old, right through until secondary school.
“She was always just wonderful with him. He lives in Germany now but he came over for her party.”
Despite having very little remaining family, about 80 people attended her birthday party last week at Fitzwilliam Court in Hoyland where she lives, including Auriol’s family, friends, neighbours and former neighbours from Jermyn Croft in Dodworth where she had previously lived for about 60 years.
A collection in lieu of presents raised £210 for Barnsley Hospice.
