At the age of 102 Frances Hardwick gets through a book every week courtesy of her friends at Kirklees Council’s home library service.
And given that she’s been a regular user for 20 years Frances, from Dewsbury, can claim to have read in the region of 1,000 books.
As the library’s oldest borrower she looks forward to her fortnightly delivery. But when driver Ian Newsam turned up he brought more than her regular large-print crime books. To celebrate Frances’s 102nd birthday he and the team surprised her with a birthday card and a bouquet.
It was a thrilled and delighted Frances who accepted the gifts and enjoyed the moment.
“The service is wonderful,” she said. “I’m so grateful for their visits. I don’t know what I’d do without them.
“I really enjoy reading the two books I get every fortnight but it’s more than a book service. The people are so helpful and friendly and I know that if I have any problems they will try their hardest to help me.”
Born at the outset of the Great War in 1914, Frances was one of nine children. She left school aged 14 to work as a weaver at the Wormald & Walker blanket mills in Dewsbury, makers of the world-famous Dormy luxury blankets that were sent to soldiers serving on the front line in World War II. Six pairs were also sent to the Queen and Prince Philip when they married in 1947.
Frances later worked at Brown’s – later Nickerson’s Chemicals – in Dewsbury until her retirement aged 68. A widow for 50 years, she has three children and four grandchildren. Of her long life she says: “I’ve had such a wonderful life. I just wish I could do it all over again.”
Delivery driver Ian said: “Frances is an amazing lady – independent, bright as a button and with a great sense of humour. I look forward to our chats. And when I’m leaving she always gets up to stand at the window and wave a cheery goodbye.”
