Clarice Hutchinson celebrates 100th birthday

A resident of Hurstead House celebrated her 100th birthday on 15 October.

Clarice Hutchinson was born in Manchester in 1922, and grew up on Crab Lane in Blackley where she was always up to little ‘shenanigans’ with her sister.

When asked how it feels to be 100, Ms Hutchinson replied with a smile: “I don't know yet!”

During the war, Clarice drove lorries and later went on to become a land girl in Blackpool, where she met her husband, Eric. 

After Eric and Clarice married, they moved to the new builds on Lane Side Close. They were awarded with a rose barn from the council for being the longest residing residents of Lane Side Close where Clarice spent 65 years.

Ms Hutchinson has one son; two grandchildren, Emma Hamlin and Matt Hutchinson, and eight grandchildren. 

Emma and Matt said Clarice was the go-to grandparent; she took both Emma and Matt in when their mum became ill. 

Clarice – who worked in the Co-op in Littleborough – would take her grandchildren on a trip to Blackpool to the see the Christmas lights switch-on, which went on to become a yearly Hutchinson family outing.

 

 

Emma and Matt remember their grandma taking them to a swanky pub every other weekend for a meal, and she always made sure they were looked after.

Every Saturday, Clarice would make fish and chips for tea – pinching some from her grandchildren’s plates before giving them milkshakes to make up for it.

On every birthday Ms Hutchinson would hold a buffet for the street; for families who could not attend due to other commitments, she would pack up goodie bags which Emma and Matt would drop to each house. Clarice made sure no-one missed out.

Every Christmas, she would bake 17 to 18 fruit cakes at a time for people, and breakfast “was like a feast.”

Emma and Matt said: “Each morning Grandma would wake up in the early hours. Grandma would lay the table and put every item found in a breakfast out on the table.

“No matter what day, what her health was like, she would be up in the early hours and cook everything for breakfast. Grandma never let us go without for a single day.”

Ms Hutchinson would always like a small drink and a cigarette with her meals, and would carry a small bottle of Baileys, Tia Maria and whiskey in her handbag. 

Many years ago, Ms Hutchinson suffered from a stroke, but came fighting back to health. She looked after her best friend, Jackie, and visited her every day when she moved into Hurstead House, later moving in herself in 2018 after breaking her hip.

A spokesperson for Hurstead House said: “Having Ms Hutchinson at Hurstead House has been a great pleasure and being part of her 100th birthday was an absolute delight. Mrs Hutchinson has been an amazing resident here at Hurstead, always polite but when needed speaks her mind.

“A big congratulations for reaching a great milestone and a massive happy 100th birthday.”