Christine Marion Taylor celebrated her 100th birthday in Southbroom recently.

Born in Nottingham, England on May 5,1923 as Christine Marion Poyser, she worked as a driver at the age of 18, during World War II with the ‘Women In The Air Force’.

At the end of the war, she trained as a nurse and in 1957 moved to South Africa. In 1959 she obtained her Private Pilot Licence in Durban.

She then pursued a career as a beautician, opening her own beauty school in Johannesburg in 1970.
Later, she became a sales lady for Alexander De Markoff travelling around the country.

In 2001, Christine moved to Mbango Valley. Just before the Covid-19 pandemic, she moved in with her family in Southbroom, living with her son Charles and daughter-in-law Stephanie.

She has two granddaughters, Megan (28) and Danika (26), and what made her birthday celebration extraordinary was being able to spend time with them.

Stephanie said her mother in-law always mentioned that she would receive a Royal card from Queen Elizabeth II for her 100th birthday, however, sadly the Queen died before her, so she received it from King Charles III.

“It has been such a privilege to have her in our lives for as long as we have had. She has been able to celebrate so many milestones of her son and her grand daughters and now we get to be here for one of hers, a 100 year milestone that not too many reach. We are really grateful. She received her personal card from King Charles III and Queen Camilla wishing her all the best on her 100th birthday,” Stephanie added.

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