Ely: Lorna Crowe to celebrate 100th birthday this weekend

Lorna Crowe was born on October 29, 1923, in Beech Lane (then known as Cemetery Lane) in Ely.

She and her family (her mother, father and brother Eddy) later lived in Market Street.

Her father had a plumbing business – E Dean & Son – and her mother ran a sweetshop and parcels depot from the same premises.

In the 1930s, the Deans moved into their own house in Downham Road, where they lived for the rest of their lives.

Lorna and Dennis on their wedding day (Image: Rosemary Wighton)

Lorna attended Ely High School for girls in the 1930s and left there in 1940, going to work as a clerk/typist at the Beet Sugar Factory for the rest of the Second World War and until 1948.

During the war, Lorna was part of the GTC (Girls’ Training Corps) and at joint dances with the ATC (Air Training Corps) met Dennis.

They started a relationship which was to last until 2021, when Dennis died, only nine days after they had celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary.

Lorna and Dennis were married in September 1946, just two months before Dennis was posted to India during his national service.

Lorna remained in her parents’ home, where she and Dennis also made their first home, and where their first child, Rosemary, was born in 1948.

Lorna & Dennis at home in the 1960s. (Image: Rosemary Wighton)

In 1949 they moved into the house they had built, next door to the Dean families, parents on one side and Eddy and family on the other, a little family enclave.

Here, in 1951, John (who very sadly died early in 2020) was born.

This was to be Lorna’s home until earlier this year.

Lorna has four granddaughters and five great-grandchildren, with ages ranging from 15 years to six months.

She has been a lifelong avid reader, though unfortunately now has very poor eyesight, and a great music lover, having sung in her local church choir for many years.

Lorna, Rosemary and John (Image: Rosemary Wighton)

Over the years, she and Dennis enjoyed travelling to almost all parts of the British Isles, with Scotland being their greatest love.

Lorna returned to paid work in the 1960s, as a medical secretary and in the 1970s staffed the Careers Office in St Mary’s Street, Ely.

Both this office and Lorna’s old school were on the site of Vera James House where she’s now living, and where she’s able to be visited by family and friends.

She’s on very familiar territory too in Chapel Street, the location of the Methodist church she attended from her early years onwards, and also pretty near to her old home.

As she says, she hasn’t moved far in her life!

Lorna & Dennis in 2016. (Image: Rosemary Wighton)