Fleetwood woman Renee celebrates her 100th birthday

There was a card from The Queen for Fleetwood woman Renee Lewis who has celebrated of her 100th birthday.
Renee Lewis received a card from The Queen for her 100th birthdayRenee Lewis received a card from The Queen for her 100th birthday
Renee Lewis received a card from The Queen for her 100th birthday

In her younger years centenarian Renee (nee Gaulter) worked as a net braider, one of the key jobs in Fleetwood when it had a thriving fishing industry.

And Renee also did her bit during the Second World War when she worked in a munitions factory in Chorley.

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Born and bred in Fleetwood, Renee celebrated the big day on Friday at her home on Queens Terrace with son Robin Jones and her niece, Barbara Irvine.

Renee Lewis celebrated her birthday with familyRenee Lewis celebrated her birthday with family
Renee Lewis celebrated her birthday with family

There were plenty of cards, apart from the one from Her Majesty, as well as a birthday cake, a bouquet of flowers and a special gold and white balloon.

Renee said: "It was wonderful to get a card from The Queen, the picture on it was lovely.

"I don't feel a hundred, I feel just the same as I always have,

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"I've had a very good life and enjoyed myself and I still enjoy a glass of red wine when I go away!"

And Renee's niece, Barbara Irvine, said: "Aunt Renee has always been very independent and a very strong woman

"She's a much-loved aunt and we're really happy she's celebrated her 100th birthday."

Renee was born at 93 Preston Street, Fleetwood on December 4, 1920, just two years after the First World War had ended.

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At that time Fleetwood had a thriving fleet of coal-burning steam trawlers but the close-knit town was a lot smaller than it is today, without the more housing recent estates of Rossall and Larkholme which brought it closer to Cleveleys.

During the Second World War Renee attended a dance at Blackpool and met Welshman Ray Jones, who was on leave from the RAF.

The couple married and went on to run the Grosvenor Hotel and restaurant on Queens Terrace in Fleetwood, enjoying holidays in Spain.

They also celebrated the birth of a son, Robin, who still lives close to his mum, and Renee volunteered as a meals on wheels helper for elderly people

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Sadly Ray died but Renee still visited Spain and eventually met Jack Lewis on one of these holidays.

The couple eventually married in Gibraltar and settled in Renee's native Fleetwood, but still regularly visited Spain.

Sadly Renee lost Jack too, almost 10 years ago.

But she has plenty of relatives in the area who keep in touch, including Robin, Barbara, four nephews and their families, with a little great great grand nephew called Reggie, aged one.

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