Isle of Wight Totland resident celebrates 100th birthday

Born on March 22, 1924, Beryl Giddings grew up in Melbourne, Australia, as did her parents and grandparents before her.

She lived by the sea and aged 21, she got married.

Her husband’s career involved travelling and the couple lived in Canada and Japan for a short time, before coming to the UK – where her great grandparents were born.

Beryl Giddings (Image: West Wight Abbeyfield)

Beryl moved to Surrey until she discovered the Isle of Wight, where she built a Norwegian log house in Totland Bay.

She has four sons, five grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

For 25 years, Beryl worked for the British Red Cross becoming the Island welfare officer and also an attendant on Tennyson Ambulance .

To celebrate turning 100, Beryl was presented with a cake and gifts by staff at sheltered housing facility, Abbeyfield West Wight – where she has lived for the past ten years of her life.

In the afternoon, she had a celebration party at Sentry Mead hotel, Totland, alongside family and friends and three close relatives who made the journey from Australia.