106, but still young at heart

UMHLANGA resident, Stephen Young, celebrates his 106th birthday today.

Born and raised in England, Stephen has had many adventures. He mostly worked in the advertising industry. “It was an exciting world, even in the late 1920’s,” he said.

When he was 19 years old he travelled to India. He lived there for three years. “It was a very exotic place to live in, and he lived there in the era known as the Days of the Raj, or British Raj, when India was under Britain’s rule,” said Judy.

When Stephen was 31 years old, the Second World War broke out and lasted for six years. While fighting in the war Stephen was captured in Tobruk, Lybia. As a prisoner of war he was sent to a war camp in Italy. Later he was also sent to Czechoslovakia in Central Europe to work in a coal mine. He worked there for three years, until the end of the war in 1945.

After the war he was sent back to Brighton, England. Later that year he met Judy in a pub in England. “It was not the typical romantic meeting, but we struck up a conversation. When Stephen moved to South Africa soon after we met we kept in touch and wrote to each other,” said Judy.

In 1946 she followed him to South Africa and they exchanged their vows. Since their marriage, the Youngs have been blessed with three children, five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

The couple retired to the Twilanga Retirement Village in 1984. While Stephen still has a good memory he has been moved to the frail care centre for the last few years.

He attributed his longevity to a good social life in his younger years and enjoying a glass of whiskey every night.