A BARNSLEY woman who was born on the first night of the Battle of the Somme is celebrating her 102nd birthday today.
Wynne Royston was born in Gawber on July 1, 1916 - when about 300 Barnsley soldiers lost their lives in one of the bloodiest battles in history.
Wynne is a resident at Ward Green Lodge Care Home, but previously lived in the same house on Winter Avenue, Pogmoor, for 76 years.
She moved in as a newlywed, having married Hamor Royston in 1939.
Hamor was a soldier and wrote to Wynne to tell her he had three days’ leave and asked if they could get married when he returned home from Ireland.
Wynne arranged their wedding with very little time, and the pair married at St Thomas’s Church in Gawber.
They had two sons, David, 75, who lives in Brisbane in Australia, and John, 71, who lives in Little Houghton.
Hamor died in 1989, aged 76.
Wynne is a founder member of the University of the Third Age. She was at the first meeting and her registration number was 14. She joined when she was 80, a time when most people are thinking about slowing down.
Wynne was part of the creative writing group, and one of her poems about the U3A was read out at the anniversary of the opening.
Her son John, said: “She was born and brought up in Gawber, and when the history group at the U3A were researching Gawber, they said ‘Wynne’s from Gawber’ and they got rid of their reference books and asked her anything they wanted. She had a tremendous memory.
“She can remember the first Barnsley bus coming up Summer Lane with passengers on it. She was also a great contributor at Wade Street Chapel, which is now Pogmoor Methodist Church.
“She still likes to have her hair done and be nicely presented. She sits in her own chair in the front room like she’s got a throne. She is very content at the home.”
John said Wynne would be marking her special day quietly, but the home would be putting on a singer in the afternoon.
Wynne also has three grandchildren.
