'Jolly' John celebrates 100th birthday and treated to special meet with great-great-grandchildren for first time

A Gunthorpe man has enjoyed celebrating his 100th birthday – with a special family party at Werrington Lodge Care home.

More than 40 of John Pusey’s family and friends came together to celebrate his life, including some of his great-great-grandchildren visiting from Ireland – who he had never met before.

“He always said he would reach 100,” said John’s son, also named John. “The other day he told us that he thought he might reach 107.”

John, who was born in Harlesden in London, has two sons and was married for 77 years to his wife Nelly, who passed away in 2020.

“He was very devoted to my nanny and looked after her towards the end of her life,” John’s granddaughter Kelly said.

John and Nelly moved from London to Gunthorpe in Peterborough when John retired in the mid-90s and he has stayed in the city since then.

“He’s always been a big family person,” said Kelly. “We’ve got lots of memories of visiting him in London.”

The family also often used to go on holidays together to Great Yarmouth, as well as visiting the allotment together where John used to enjoy gardening.

Kelly also has fond memories of them going fishing together when she was a child.

John served in The Army as a young man and one of his assignments was guarding the Tower of London.

He then worked as a roofer and tiled the roof of Westminster Hall, where Queen Elizabeth II lay in state.

“He’s very sharp, he knows everything that’s going on around him and he’s not lost any memory or anything like that,” said John’s son.

“He’s quite a jolly person, he’s always ready for a laugh and a joke.”

Kelly said that John, who celebrated his birthday on Thursday, is “very hardworking and looks after everybody, he’s very determined, very independent.

"Although he’s in a care home now he still tries to be as independent as he can.”