Archive - Wednesday, 5 September 2001


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Muriel, 103, tells of wonderful life

MURIEL PARFITT has reached the ripe old age of 103 - still enjoying the odd cigarette and glass of sherry.

And Mrs Parfitt, pictured, still has a family record to beat - her sister lived to her 104th birthday!

Mrs Parfitt was born in Caerau Road, Newport, during the reign of Queen Victoria and was the youngest of seven girls and three boys.

Mrs Parfitt spent her life running her father's business, Davies' Music Shop, opposite the Queens Hotel on Bridge Street, Newport.

She said: "When the First World War broke out all the boys went into the army and they loved it, and that's how I came into running the business.

"We were never ill - all of us were the same and we all lived a long time. I like a drop of sherry now and again.

"A very fine doctor said to us one day, 'I can tell you this - and everybody else - there is not a pick-me-up in the world better than sherry'.

"There was a time I would never be without a cigarette in my mouth. I used to smoke 40 or 60 a day - in those days nobody really kept count."

Mrs Parfitt's only daughter, Janet Harvey, came along to her celebrations at Mayfield Residential Home, Llanthewy Road, Newport, to wish her a happy birthday on Monday.

Mrs Parfitt remains an optimist. She said:"It's a wonderful life."

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