Woman, 105, says secret to long life is eating bread and butter and lots of cake

07 January 2024 , 18:29

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Dorothy Palmer has never left the UK - and isn't a big fan of vegetables! (Image: Donna Clifford/HullLive)

A former nurse who has just celebrated her 105th birthday says a life of dodging salad and enjoying cake has kept her going all the years.

Dorothy Palmer marked her big day at Redstacks residential home, in Hull, Yorkshire and says her life has probably been extended by making sure she gets plenty of bread and butter. But she doesn't always subscribe to getting her five-a-day and admits vegetables aren't her favourite thing.

There could also be another few secrets behind her longevity. The pensioner, who kicked cigarettes when she was 50, has never left Britain and prefers her home comforts over sunshine breaks. There was another king on the throne when Dorothy was born with George V was the reigning monarch.

David Lloyd George was Prime Minister and the Treaty of Versailles, which would formally end the First World War, had yet to be signed. Dorothy was born and raised in Guildford, Surrey, before moving to Wales where she was educated at Haverford West School and became a nurse. Dorothy moved to Hull in 1945 and lived in Rosmead Street, HullLive report.

The former nurse has celebrated an amazing milestone birthday on Thursday (Donna Clifford/HullLive)

A dance at her local dance hall was where she met her husband, William, who was known to all as Jack. The pair loved going to the pictures, as well as dancing, and meeting up with friends around East Park. The couple had two sons, Hugh, now 76, and Robin, 66. Sadly, Jack, who worked as an instrument mechanic at BP Saltend, died in 1996 at the age of 79, when the Palmers were then living in Colville Avenue, Anlaby Common.

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In all her long life, Dorothy has never ventured abroad, spending summer holidays instead in Scarborough and Cayton Bay. There were always day trips out to enjoy too, on the train or by bus.

A very active woman, Dorothy used to enjoy long walks and being in her garden, and she loved to embroider, read and knit before her eyesight began to deteriorate. She smoked until she was 50 but stopped as she “knew it was bad for her”, and also only ever drank alcohol at Christmas, usually a glass of sherry or wine.

Dorothy continued to live independently in Anlaby until she was 100, when she unfortunately had a bad fall and moved into Redstacks residential home in Heads Lane, Hessle. Not fussy about what she eats – though she does particularly love salads - Dorothy said her secret to a long life is “bread and butter and eating lots of cake”.

Deborah Hall