Halesowen care home resident credits living to 105 to drinking tea!

Jessie Abberley has been a resident of Grange Hill House care home since 2012.

The much-loved great-grandmother has lived to the ripe old age despite a brush with death in 1965 when she became seriously ill from the lasting effects of a head injury suffered as a child.

Her family said: "When she was a young girl, Jessie accidentally ran into the corner of a brick wall.

"She suffered very bad headaches afterwards and was subsequently operated on in the children’s hospital in Liverpool.

"This has, however, left a mark on her throughout her life.

"She became very ill in 1965, spending time in hospital, in Stoke on Trent, and nearly died."

Jessie was born Jessie Cox on 20 August 1916, in Quinton, the third daughter of John and Mabel Cox.

Sadly, she never knew her father who died at the Battle of Passchendaele in WW1, in 1917.

After the war, the family moved to Crewe in Cheshire. Mabel remarried and had a further three children.

Jessie became head girl at school, but had to leave when she was put into service, due to strained family circumstances.

During WW2, she worked on a farm just outside Crewe and was a volunteer on Crewe Station where, along with a friend, she served refreshments to the travelling servicemen.

Jessie married Frank Abberley in 1946 and the couple welcomed their only daughter, Anne, in 1949.

Frank took early retirement to look after Jessie and the family moved to North Wales, before moving to Romsley to be near family.

Frank died in 1999 and Jessie went to live with her daughter, Anne, and husband, Scott, in Hunnington, before moving to Grange Hill House.

Her family said: "It is testament to their care that she's still going strong at 105!

"Jessie has always put her longevity down to the many cups of tea consumed over her lifetime."

Jessie has two grandchildren, Rob and Laura, and three great grandchildren, Euan, Ciara and Erin.

Her family said: "Until her eyesight, and hearing, began to fail, she was an avid reader who consumed books with a passion.

"This was derived from a keen interest in the English language and poetry.

"She had been known to read the dictionary in her spare time!

"Other favourite pastimes included knitting and crosswords.

"Jessie is much loved. She has always been very kind, caring and generous and always willing to help.

"Jessie would have, undoubtedly, gone on to greater things had she had the opportunity, and not been restrained by her circumstances.

"She is a very remarkable lady!"