A much‑loved Cwmbran resident, Evelyn May Edwards, has celebrated her 100th birthday this week with a special party with family and friends at Age Connects Torfaen.
Evelyn, who was born on 9 March 1926 in Fleur‑de‑lis near Blackwood, was given a special party by the staff and volunteers at the Widdershins Centre, where she also had her telegram from King Charles and a signed picture from her favourite musician André Rieu on display.
Asked what the secret to a long life was, she said it’s about being positive, joyful and kind to others.
Emma Wootten, Chief Executive of Age Connects said: “Evelyn enjoys coming to the Widdershins Centre and we love having her with us as well. She always arrives with a big smile and leaves with one too. The staff enjoy her company and hearing her many stories from over the years. Evelyn is a wonderfully kind and humble person and we were honoured to be able to celebrate her birthday with her family and friends.”
Evelyn was one of six children raised in a close‑knit mining family. Her father worked underground while her mother cared for the home, instilling in their children the values of community and perseverance. Evelyn attended Cefn Fforest Primary School before leaving at just 14 to enter domestic service in Scotland.
During the Second World War, she worked at Pixton Hall in Dulverton, Somerset, later moving to Glascoed near Usk to support the war effort in a bomb‑making factory. These early experiences shaped her strong work ethic and lifelong humility.
On 28 September 1946, she married Dennis George Edwards at Bedwellty Church. The couple shared nearly 65 years of marriage before Dennis’s passing in 2011. Evelyn has lived in Cwmbran for the past 63 years, becoming a familiar and cherished presence in the community.
A local beauty queen at 19, Evelyn still carries the same grace and warmth that once turned heads. Recently, she enjoyed a visit to one of her former workplaces, where she delighted staff by recalling exactly which room had once been hers.
