A FORMER buyer at Owen and Owen who left school at 15 has celebrated her 100th birthday.

Mary Stokes was born in 1923 in Griffithstown and is now living at Willowbrook, in Bettws, Newport, where she celebrated her big day.

Mrs Stokes' parents were Fred and Ada Turley. Fred worked at Panteg Steelworks. They both died when Mrs Stokes was a teenager.

South Wales Argus: Mrs Mary Stokes, who turned 100 on January 15, 2023

Mrs Stokes on her birthday

After leaving Pontypool County School for Girls when she was 15 to work in a local shop, she returned to the retail world after getting married at 21 in 1944 and having three children.

Her career saw her work at E G Taylors, which became Macowards, before moving to Owen Owen department store in the centre of Newport as a buyer.

Mrs Stokes' husband was Philip David Cenarth Stokes, who was known as Cen, and they married at St Hilda's Church in Griffithstown.

South Wales Argus:

The Stokes on their wedding day

Mr Stokes was from Blaenavon, the eldest son of Nellie and Clarence Stokes. He was a sergeant in the RAF and was an aircraft fitter and served much of his time in India.

After the war he worked for Newport Borough Council as a welfare and housing officer.

He enjoyed dressmaking and decorating and his one great passion was as a grade one time keeper for the Welsh Amateur Athletics Association and travelled to many athletics meetings all over Britain.

South Wales Argus:

The Stokes dancing through life together

The couple had three children - Philip Stokes, 75, who lives at Llanfrechfa, Marilyn Todd, 72, who lives in Nailsea, and Cheryl Phillips, 70, who lives in Brecon.

Their grandchildren are Andrew Stokes, Catherine Hopes, Karen Todd, Tim Phillips, and Rachel O’Sullivan, who lives in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Their great grandchildren are Molly and Harriet 12; Kai, three; Toby 12; Eloise, nine; Hanna, 10; and Cormac, eight.

South Wales Argus: Mary Stokes was entertained by Torfaen Male Voice Choir at her 100th birthday party at Willowbrook in Newport

Mary Stokes was entertained by Torfaen Male Voice Choir at her 100th birthday party at Willowbrook in Newport

Throughout her life Mrs Stokes enjoyed family life, her ladies fashion jobs, knitting and going to male voice choir concerts.

Mrs Stokes said she put her long life down to: "A happy and loving family, keeping active for as long as possible and definitely having a good night's sleep."

She celebrated her big birthday with friends, family and other residents at Willowbrook, and was entertained by Torfaen Male Voice Choir.