Otterbourne Hill resident who saw two Royal coronation processions celebrates 100th birthday
Carol, a resident at Brendoncare Otterbourne Hill, celebrated her 100th birthday in February.
Carol’s grandfather was a distinguished member of the Government so, thanks to him, she had close-up views of the Coronation processions of both King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II.
Carol’s illustrious relative was Sir John Simon, a Liberal politician, who served in various Cabinets before and during the Second World War. He was Home Secretary, Foreign Secretary, Chancellor of the Exchequer then Lord Chancellor under Sir Winston Churchill in his cross-party War Cabinet.
Carol was born into a Royal Naval family, her father serving in Chile, then in Malta for two years where she learned to swim and dive.
Such were her swimming abilities, when she was 10, Carol saved a boy’s life in a Scottish loch, an act of bravery which earned her a Royal Humane Society award. She also climbed Ben Nevis when she was a child.
During the Second World War, Carol was evacuated to Canada for two years, returning on a convoy of ships during the Battle of the Atlantic.
Afterwards, Carol settled in her childhood home at Liss, Hampshire. She went to St Thomas’ Hospital in London to train as a nurse. There, she met her husband Ken who was a GP in Kent. He died of MS in 1965.
They had three daughters Tessa, Val and Jane.
After Jane finished school in 1976, Carol moved to Brambridge to be nearer her mother, having re-trained as a social worker. She remained in her riverside home for 48 years.
Among her numerous activities, Carol raised money for the MS Society, swimming 80 lengths of the Marwell Pool when she was 80 and publishing a book, A Pebble In The Pond in 2016, her memoirs in prose and verse.
Carol moved to Brendoncare Otterbourne Hill in June 2024. To celebrate her 100th birthday, the care home held a celebration attended by 30 of her relatives, including her three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Her daughter Val Coyne said: “One thing she has always taught us is that no matter how tough times are, some good always comes out of it. We are very grateful to Brendoncare Otterbourne Hill for all the care and attention they have given Mum for the last 18 months.
“Staff were very helpful in organising all aspects of the party. She has always been very central to our family, and this was a perfect way to celebrate.”
