A Northfield woman has celebrated her 100th birthday this week, marking a huge milestone for the great-great-grandmother. Ivy Ravenhill, who has lived in south Birmingham for over 50 years, turned 100 on May 19. The mother of six shared what it is like to have lived a century.
Life Has Changed a Lot
"Life has changed a lot in the last 100 years. It is all about money and surviving," she told BirminghamLive. She added that people today are more greedy than in the old days. "People are greedy today. They do not want a penny or tuppence, they want millions."
Memories of Childhood
Born near Balsall Heath in 1926, Ivy was one of six children. She recalled the realities of keeping warm in the 1930s. "We could not keep warm in those days unless you found a pair of old boots or something to burn to get a bit of warmth. We used to open the oven door to get heating so we could have a wash. There was no heating in the house or anything," she said. She and her siblings had to retrieve coal from the cellar. "People are greedy today. You just carried on back then. We used to go to the pawn shop if we had no money. Just things we thought were normal, and it was normal then. It was just surviving. We were survivors then."
World War II and Marriage
Ivy was 12 when World War II started, recalling frightening memories of being ushered into air raid shelters with a gas mask. When the war ended, street parties were held across the UK. Ivy married her former partner, Cyril, that same year. Their union spanned over 30 years until they separated.
Family and Mindset
Since her youth, Ivy has welcomed six children and many grandchildren over multiple generations. The popular nan, known everywhere she goes, is not keen on turning 100 but believes it is all about the brain and mindset. "It is all about your brain. I used to say I am 99 and then it went up to 100. I thought, 'Oh no, I cannot go no further. That is it,'" she said.
Secrets to Longevity
Besides keeping active, getting out and about, and chatting with friends, Ivy swears by Manuka honey. She has taken it for 40 years, putting it in her tea every morning.
Birthday Celebration
Ivy celebrated her birthday with a surprise party in the evening, with family, friends, and loved ones flocking to celebrate. Her son, Roger Ravenhill, described her as "amazing. What she has gone through, brought us all up and had a rough time. She is great."
Ivy's 100th birthday was marked by a card from King Charles and Queen Camilla. Her son shared that she likes King Charles, and Ivy agreed it is "special" to receive such a card.
