Bamber Bridge resident Lillian Higham marks her 100th birthday

Elizabeth, who was known as Lillian, was surrounded by family and fellow residents at Cuerden Grange Residential Home, in Bamber Bridge.

She served in the Women’s Service as a telephonist on the radar stations in the air force from 1941 to 1946. Upon leaving, she worked at Dolcis shoe shop and then worked as a telephonist for the Ministry of Works (BNFL), in Salwick until she retired aged 60.

She was married to Howard Higham for 11 years until he passed away. She moved to Cuerden Grange in November 2013.

Her niece Joan Morris said: “I am really proud and over the moon Lillian has reached 100. At one point she was quite ill but she pulled through.

“She has had an interesting life. She was called up to join the women’s air force in 1941 and worked on the radar stations in Plymouth during the war. One of the stations had been hit the week before she arrived to work, so she had a lucky escape. She can remember bits of her time there. She recalled a time a general from the American air force gave her and her friend a lift in his limo and showed them round his plane.

“She got married at aged 34 to Howard and he had a son, who she is very close to. She is a lovely grandmother to his children. She has a lot of family come visit her.”