A BARNARD Castle centenarian attributes her longevity to a Viking bloodline.
Annie Hutchinson celebrated her 100th birthday on Sunday and along with a large family party at the Morritt Hotel, a special event was held at her weekly lunch club on Tuesday last week.
Mrs Hutchinson, who has been a member of Teesdale Day Clubs for about 15 years, was in fine spirits on the day.
She said: “I feel the same as I felt when I was 25. My son had me spit in a little jar and he sent it to goodness knows where, but it came back saying I have Viking in my blood.”
She added she had inherited her Viking blood through her mum Margaret, who lived to the age of 97.
Mrs Hutchinson was born at Frosterley, on January 21, 1924, to Joseph and Margaret Jopling.
She said: “Dad was in the [First World] war and he was hit by shrapnel in the jaw. He had it set again and you could never tell. He took a job as a shepherd to get away from the noise of battle and he was a shepherd all his life.”
Mrs Hutchinson followed in the family tradition and after school worked at a local farm, before moving to Gilmonby, near Bowes, to look after her mum, and met her future husband, Ralph Hutchinson.
The pair were married on November 6, 1943, and went on to run Valley Farm for many years. While kept busy with farm work, Mrs Hutchinson set aside time to enjoy her favourite hobby poetry.
Sadly, her husband died in November 1995 and five years later Mrs Hutchinson moved to Barnard Castle, where she continues to live independently.
Along with continuing to write verse (see below) “to keep my brain ticking” she enjoys her weekly outings with the lunch club.
The centenarian said: “It’s very nice conversation – it’s the only day I go out.”
Mrs Hutchinson is a mother of four, who produced ten grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.
An Ode To Growing Old
It isn’t easy growing old,
You don’t like the heat
And can’t stand the cold.
Eyes grow dim and hearing goes,
You get terrible chilblains
On the end of your toes.
Puff and pant, all out of breath,
Whilst just the slight exertion
Leaves you feeling like death.
Don’t eat this and don’t eat that,
It will definitely kill you
Or at least make you fat.
Annie Hutchinson
